Dragon of the West
by Darthlane
Summary: The tale of Iroh's life before the he became the renowned Dragon of the West. Takes place from his teenage years to the start of the show. I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
1. Chapter 1-Brothers

**Hello and thank you for reading! This is my first fanfiction and I hope you like it! I am going to try and create stories that would fit into the existing canon, so I will try not to contradict anything that happened in the show Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. I also won't do anything like add myself in or anything like that. I hope you like it!**

** -Darthlane**

Chapter 1

50 Years After Genocide 

Ozai grinned maliciously as he swung his fist at his brother. Iroh dodged the blow by the slightest of margins. "Don't get cocky, little brother." Iroh said. "As powerful as you have become, I am still stronger."

Ozai growled as he struck again. Still his brother avoided the attacks. Iroh dodged with the grace of one of the revered dragons. No movement by either brother was wasted; even the slightest of twitches was a part of tiny battles that would impact the overall duel. It was obvious that they were both masters of the martial arts.

Iroh switched with impossible speed from defense to offense, and attacked his brother with ferocity unbecoming of him. Ozai was helpless against the assault and was knocked down with a series of mighty blows. Iroh stood over him, fist directed at Ozai's throat in a perfect example of the final strike.

Iroh's face was a stone. Not a single shred of sympathy could be found for his brother. But it didn't hold. A smile emerged onto Iroh's face, erasing the malice from before. "I win again, Ozai. Looks like you still have a lot of work to do." He helped is brother up from the Palace courtyard. "Maybe you should spend some more time training instead of playing those simple games with your friends."

A frown crossed Ozai's face. "What are you talking about Iroh? Flame tag is much more than a game. Of course you wouldn't know; you spend all day playing Pai Sho and watching clouds. You don't even try to talk to people anymore. Do you even have any friends?"

Iroh was approaching fifteen years of age he was already quite tall and was handsome enough already that several suitors had approached him. It also didn't hurt with the ladies that he was the Prince of the Fire Nation. Despite the attention he received from just about everyone, he was very solitary and carefree. This often angered his grandfather Sozin, who had a reputation as a strict military genius. His father Azulon didn't mind as much, but he still didn't approve and had let Iroh know on several occasions. He had even threatened to send Iroh to the war front to learn respect for his father's wishes. Iroh hoped they were just threats. He didn't know if he wanted to fight people for a living.

Ozai was still young and therefore not quite as tall as Iroh. At nine years old he was only beginning to develop his firebending but he was already far ahead of where he should be at that age. His talent was often compared to his grandfather, his father, and his older brother. But unlike Iroh he had impressed their father and grandfather with his determination and ambition to become powerful. They hadn't said as much, but Iroh knew they considered Ozai to be an even better version of him. A true prodigy.

"Can we go again?" Ozai asked enthusiastically. "I know I can beat you this time!" He was bursting with energy, wanting to fight with the true passion of a firebender. 

Iroh laughed. "Of course, Ozai. Let's try again. But" In all honesty he didn't want to practice fighting, but it was a good way to spend time with his brother and maybe even learn some new things himself. Time spent bettering yourself is never wasted.

Ozai backed away, then assumed the familiar starting pose. Iroh nodded to his younger brother, indicating that he was ready. Ozai grinned as he charged again.

Iroh stood completely relaxed as he was attacked. Ozai was wary, knowing that it was just a ruse to get him to lower his guard. Right as he was close enough to strike Ozai's right fist flew at his brother's face almost without conscious thought. He knew Iroh would dodge so he used the momentum of his punch to spin and strike where he believed Iroh would be with his left elbow. He thought it had worked- until Iroh caught his arm.

"Good, Ozai! That was well done!" Iroh was pleased with Ozai's attack. "Good form, good technique, good power, good speed, and excellent misdirection. It was almost flawless. You just forgot three things, brother. One must never turn your back on your opponent." As he said that he pinned Ozai's arms to his sides. "Two, always maintain your roots." He swept Ozai's legs out from under him. Ozai landed with a thump on the grass. "Three, know better than to fight me."

Ozai groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Why can't you ever just let me win, Iroh?" He didn't bother getting up.

Iroh chuckled and sat down next to his little brother in the soft grass. "Why don't I let you win? Why don't you ask questions that aren't completely stupid? Ozai, if I just hand you victory, how will you have earned it? If I were to let you win you wouldn't have put in the same effort and experience to get there. You would be a weaker version of yourself, and you would come to expect that same mercy from others as well. If you face an opponent someday that wishes to take your life you need to be powerful enough to defeat him. More importantly, however, is that you need to be smart enough and determined enough to defeat him. Because you do not know just how skilled this opponent may be, you must improve yourself as you can to remain assured of your victory. You aren't going to be able to ask him to let you win, so I'm trying to prepare you for that. Struggle makes us stronger, Ozai. Remember that. I'm trying to make you as strong as you can be because I love you and I don't want anything bad to happen to you." He stood up and extended a hand. "Do you want to try again?"

Ozai grabbed his hand and was lifted up. Iroh noticed that the fire from their first two bouts had returned to his eyes. For the third time they prepared to spar. "Hey Iroh!" Ozai called to his brother. "If you aren't going to hold back then I won't either. You won't beat me this time, brother." As fast as a prickle snake Ozai attacked again. As he drew close he suddenly stopped, surprising Iroh. His fist turned into an open hand and flames burst out. Iroh was able to block it, but barely. Even then, the sleeves of the royal robe he was wearing were singed off. Momentarily blinded by the fire, Iroh was struck several times by his younger brother in the midsection. He shoved Ozai back, trying to increase separation and recollect his chi.

"Wow, Ozai. That was just incredible. I can't make any excuses; you caught me completely by surprise."

Ozai was grinning confidently. "It seems I'm not the only one with things to learn, brother. You should know not to underestimate any opponent, no matter how small." He was sporting an even cockier grin than he had worn before and was strutting around like he owned the place. Which he technically did.

"I'm just a little surprised you used firebending in a hand to hand fight." Iroh admitted. Ozai had gotten a lot better than Iroh could have ever believed. He wasn't sure if he could have pulled off the same thing at that age.

Ozai shrugged. "That guy in the future that wants to kill me will probably be a bender and he won't hold back. I need to be ready to use any resources I have available to defeat my enemies." His eyes narrowed. "Let's finish this, Iroh."

Before either of them could move a crowd of people entered the courtyard from the Palace. They were mostly nobles and politicians along with a few guards. Leading them was their mother, Azulon's wife Ilah. Their mother was elegant and beautiful while also being smart and charismatic. She was the perfect match for the Fire Lord. Her dark hair and sharp features were already apparent in Ozai. Iroh just hoped his brother wouldn't inherit her cold disposition as well. "Iroh! Ozai! Come here immediately." They approached warily, unsure of why she was there with so many people. She didn't really make a habit of watching their sparring and rarely spent time with them in general. When she did there was usually an ulterior motive for why.

"What's wrong, mother?" Iroh asked. "Is it news from the war? Have we finally conquered Ba Sing Se?" He had a feeling he wouldn't like whatever she was about to tell them.

"No." She said. "It has little to do with the war, my son. I'm sorry to tell you that your grandfather, former Fire Lord Sozin, is now dead." She spoke with no emotion despite the graveness of what she said.

It was as though someone had poured a bucket of cold water on Iroh. How could Grandfather Sozin be dead? He had always been so strong and indomitable, like the Earth Kingdom warriors he had heard stories about. He had always thought his grandfather was too tough to die. "How could this have happened?" He asked quietly.

"My father-in-law perished in his sleep." said Ilah quietly. "I suppose we are blessed that he passed on quietly. The spirits know he deserved it. For all the greatness he brought to the Fire Nation he will be remembered forever as one of the greatest Fire Lords to ever live."

"That's not fair!" Ozai exclaimed loudly. He tugged at his mother's skirts. "Grandpa was one of the best men alive. He didn't deserve to die. Why couldn't it have been someone else?" He looked around for someone to have something to say, some answer. Ozai kicked at one of the soldiers, a well trained man that didn't react at all to the child's attacks. "Why didn't you save him? He can't be dead!" He yelled loudly.

"Ozai!" His mother scolded. "You stop that right now!" She grabbed him and he began to squirm violently to be free from her grasp. "I don't know what's gotten into you but you are going to pay for your misbehavior later." She turned to the guard he had kicked and ordered, "Take him to his room. I will come for him later." The soldier carried the struggling child back the palace. Ilah turned back around. "Now Iroh, your father wanted to spe-" She paused when she noticed that Iroh was gone, vanished like a ghost. "Iroh?"

**If you have made it this far I can assume you read it and thank you! Please favorite and follow me if you like the story and leave a review about your thoughts! And don't forget to come to the dark side(we have cookies!).**

**-Darthlane**


	2. Chapter 2- Tea for Three

**Hello and thank you for reading! After last chapter Iroh found out that his grandfather, former Fire Lord Sozin, a.k.a the guy who killed all of the Airbenders, passed away. Now he's disappeared. Where did he go? Why did he disappear? Find out in Chapter 2 of Dragon of the West!**

** -Darthlane**

Chapter 2

Iroh sat down at one of the few tables in the Golden Rose Tea Shop. It was a small and cramped place, and was slowly falling into disrepair. Its best days were long past and it probably only had a fair number left. It had been a very popular place years ago, but it had been driven to near bankruptcy by newer and cheaper businesses. All but only a few loyal customers had left, leaving it almost empty. Iroh still believed it had the best tea in the entire Fire Nation.

A woman easing into her elderly years approached the table. "Iroh! It's been forever since you've visited, dear. What can I get you?"

"It's good to see you, Rhia. You look as lovely as always." Iroh said nicely. "I would love some tea if you could spare the trouble, you can choose whichever kind you like. Also can you let Hieu know I'm here? I would like to speak with him."

"Sure, Iroh. I know he'll be happy to see you." She walked away and entered the back room where she and her husband Hieu lived. While he waited Iroh considered what he had learned. For the most part he had managed to avoid most of the war meetings and such, but now that his father no longer had his grandfather to advise him he would probably rely more on Iroh. Iroh didn't want that kind of life. He had seen the pressures it had put on his forefathers and he knew he wanted something else. He, crowned Prince of the Fire Nation, the most powerful nation in the world, didn't want his inheritance. Of course he couldn't tell his family that. They would scoff at him. They had a fair point too. Who in their right mind could possibly pass up becoming the most powerful man in the world?

Iroh knew in his heart that he and his family were very different. They assumed that their power was deserved. They believed that they had the right to rule the world. But Iroh had been curious about the people he would one day be responsible for. Many of them were just as smart and deserving as the Royal Family, some more so. And Iroh had discovered quickly that most were nicer. He had grown to love the people he had met, and he had gained an enormous amount of wisdom from them. Their goodness revealed to Iroh just how messed up his family was. All of them, even his little brother Ozai, were ambitious and manipulative, cold and bloodthirsty. He didn't belong. Not to say that he didn't love them as they were but he recognized that they were different. Iroh had already decided years ago that when he became fire lord he would change things. The people would have more of a say in what the country did.  
Hieu walked out of the back room with a pit if tea and two cups. There was a large grin on his wrinkled face. He was short and was bald on top of his head but still had gray tufts encircling his head. He sat down with a plop into the chair opposite Iroh.

"It has been so long since you drifted through these doors that Rhia and I had started to wonder if you had lost your taste for tea. It's good to know you found your way back." Hieu started pouring them cups. "Your favorite is Jasmine, correct? Yes, an excellent blend, but I always preferred Ginseng tea myself."

Iroh chuckled. "I guess we're fortunate that tea preferences seem to be our worst disagreements. How have things fared around here?" He accepted his cup and took a sip.  
Hieu's brow wrinkled. "Well, Iroh, things haven't really been doing too well. In fact, it's been worse than ever since the last time you dropped by. People just don't want to come get tea here anymore. The fewer customers we get the more we have to charge the ones that do still come. Then the raised prices make the faithful not want to come anymore and soon enough the place is empty. It all snowballs into depression and for an old man like me that is a very steep hole to climb out of. It worries me, but you shouldn't concern yourself with it. We'll find a way."

"Please." Iroh said. "I have tons of money. Enough that my family wouldn't even notice if a pile of our treasure disappeared. I can help you and Rhia get your business in order. I can't just watch you guys go through this kind of thing when I can help you."  
Hieu sighed and placed his face in his hands. "I wonder if you remember the advice I gave you all those years ago. Do you remember that day Iroh? You were scarcely more than a boy. It was the second time you had shown up in here. You were so timid and quiet. You didn't even approach the counter to ask for a cup of tea. You looked so unsure about yourself then. The exact opposite of today."

Iroh nodded. "That was one of the first times I had snuck out of the palace grounds. I had tried tea from outside the royal kitchens for the first time, you know. It had been incredible. Still is, by the way." He added. "I could never have imagined before then that tea could be so great before that day. It had been so good I just had to come back and get another cup. That's when Rhia sat me down and asked if I had any money to pay for the tea. She realized my parents weren't there and asked me when to find them. She almost fainted when I told her I was the prince."

"Then, if I remember correctly," Hieu added, "you tried to buy the place from us with enough money to retire us early. But to your surprise we told you that there was no way we were going to give up our shop. Do you remember what we said to you when you asked us why?"

"Not really." Iroh admitted. "It's been a few years since then."

"We told you that we were going to continue to serve tea because that is what we do. It's what we have done for decades and I can't imagine us doing anything else. We weren't going to accept you making us rich for doing nothing because then we wouldn't have the need to make the tea anymore. Without the need to make it the tea is pointless, unnecessary. At least for us. I honestly don't know what I would do without this shop. I would be bored to death, and Rhia and I wouldn't have much reason to live anymore. We can't afford to go bankrupt and lose this tea shop. But at the same time we can't let you save us because it's our shop and it will be until we're dead. It has to be us that gets us through this, not you, Iroh. Don't think we don't appreciate what you are trying to do, but we can't let you help us. Let us help ourselves out of this problem. The struggle will make us stronger."

Iroh sighed and tried to think of something to say, something to convince them that him helping was acceptable. As much as it frustrated him that he couldn't help he couldn't think of a way they would be fine with. "I guess I don't have a choice but to go with whatever decision you guys make. Just remember, if you need help all you need to do is ask."

Hieu smiled. "Thank you for understanding, Iroh. So, Rhia mentioned that you wanted to talk about something. What is it?"

Iroh lowered his gaze, troubled. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I needed to talk to someone who I could trust. Also I thought you would appreciate hearing it before the news got out." Iroh took a deep breath. "I just found out that Grandfather Sozin is dead."

Hieu almost choked on his tea. "What?" He exclaimed. "How could this have happened? Oh, you poor boy. How must you feel...?"

Iroh appreciated how much the old man cared. It was good to know that even if his family was distanced from him he still had friends. Friends who cared.

Hieu gasped. "And even after hearing that you still had the kindness to offer money to my wife and I. Iroh, you truly are a wonderful young man. Where did you ever learn such generosity? I've lived through how much your father taxes us; it can't be from him." He refilled Iroh's cup of tea. "Was it you mother perhaps?"

Iroh laughed out loud. "No, I didn't learn much besides manipulation from her. If you knew her you would know just how ridiculous that sounds. Actually, I learned it from my grandfather as surprising as that is. One of the lessons he taught me when I was younger was to get to people's hearts. Granted, he taught me about fear as well as kindness, and he thought I would use it to gain power instead of helping people, but he taught it to me all the same." Iroh sighed. "He was actually a much nicer man than you would think."

Hieu's eyebrows rose. "You know what I think of him? That's an arrogant thing to say about someone else's thoughts and opinions. I might surprise you. What did you think that I thought of your grandfather?"

Iroh was embarrassed slightly." W-well I always assumed that people thought the worst of him. I mean, he did kind of exterminate an entire race of people."

"I figured that was how it went down." Hieu interrupted. "I didn't see the Air Nomads as the aggressive type." Seeing Iroh's confusion, he added, "Oh, you must not know. That makes sense, seeing as how you heard war reports straight from the armies themselves."

"What are you talking about?" Iroh asked. By now he had no idea what the tea maker was babbling on about.

Hieu took a sip of tea and said, "The entire Fire Nation has no idea that the attack on the Air Nation was just that: an attack. When we first entered the war fifty years ago all we knew was that the Fire Nation was at war with the other Nations. Sozin refused to tell us anything else. He only stayed in charge for a couple years after that. He stepped down and your father took over as Fire Lord. I suspect that old Sozin was consumed by guilt over what he had done to the Air Nation and didn't have an appetite for war anymore. But that's just a theory."

He paused to drink some more tea. "Anyway, Azulon's first action as Fire Lord was to reveal to us that the Air Nomads were exterminated. Many of us, including myself, had friends from the Air Nation that we hadn't heard from in years and were horrified at the news. Azulon was very charismatic, however. He spun us a tale of how the Airbenders had been preparing an invasion force to take us down. He told us of how his father and the Fire Nation army had bravely fought tooth and nail to end the threat the Airbenders had represented to their home. In the end, according to your father, the enemy died like the barbarians they were."

Iroh was in disbelief. "How could the people have believed that? It's outrageous!"

Hieu nodded slowly. "That's true. But you are underestimating just what a great speaker your father is. Yes, it sounds ridiculous coming from my mouth to your ears, but most of the Fire Nation doesn't know things that you know. To them it sounded just crazy enough to be true."

Iroh rested his face in his palms. "This is unbelievable..." He had known for a while now that his father was not a nice man, but he had never suspected that he would be capable of anything like this. What else did Iroh not know about his family?

"Now keep in mind that Azulon didn't convince everyone. Me and a few others had friends among the arrowheads and we knew that they wouldn't hurt a fly. Not even the large scary ones. I also noticed how much Sozin had started building our armies and navies. I knew he was preparing for war long before we were actually in one. Probably ever since Avatar Roku died. But by then no one would have believed us. Azulon's lies were engrained too deep among too many people. Now all we can do is hold them in our memory and hope that someday the truth can be revealed. The Air Nomads never deserved anything like this."

They sat in silence drinking tea for a minute, each considering what they had learned. Hieu eventually broke the silence. "That was a mighty awful long tangent we got into, son." He smiled crookedly. "I still haven't told you what I thought of your grandfather. And you didn't finish telling me who he really was."

Iroh nodded at Hieu. "Go ahead and tell me what you thought and I'll tell you if you were right."

"Okay. That works with me." Hieu said. "This is mainly based on his early retirement, mind you. I think he was a man with a dream. He had that dream and it was more important than anything else in the world for him. His dream was to make the Fire Nation into a heaven on earth, a Utopia among the Four Nations. He wanted to build it up to be as powerful as it could be. He started a war to allow the Fire Nation to expand and grow in power. When he wiped out the Airbenders he realized that what he had created an abomination of his dream. This wasn't turning into what he had always wanted for his people. He got out as fast as he could and tried to repent for what he had done by staying out of the rest of the war. Not that it is really possible to redeem yourself from commiting genocide." He shuddered. "It's a good thing he retired. Raava knows, the war would be over if Sozin had remained in command. No offense to your father, but Sozin was in a class by himself when it came to strategy and leading. The only man who can come close to the greatness Sozin had as a leader is perhaps Chin the Great."

Iroh knew who Chin was but had no idea who this Raava person might be. He decided it was a question for another time. "You were almost right, Hieu. Very, very close. Honestly its rather strange how well you knew my grandfather considering you never met him."

Hieu shrugged. "Over the years I have gotten good at analyzing people."

Iroh continued, "The thing you missed was that he was still involved in the war. If he was repenting of his ear crimes he did a good job of showing it. He was my father's primary consultant and was likely the architect of many of the victories our nation has had over the years." He paused before saying, "But besides that, Grandfather was actually very nice. He was strict and formal, and had no patience for mistakes, but he was actually interested in me. He genuinely cared about my life and how I was becoming a man." He added bitterly, "That's more than I can say for my father."  
Realizing Iroh was troubled, Hieu said supportively, "Iroh, don't let yourself be defined by your family's actions. Do you remember earlier? I said you were a wonderful young man. I meant that. You can be whatever you choose to be. You aren't trapped by your family's legacy, whatever you may think. You don't have to become your father."

Iroh smiled. "Thanks. It's good to know someone believes in me." He glanced at the doorway and noticed that the shadows had moved a lot further than he had thought. "Oh no!" He cried. "I spent way too much time here. I'm sorry Hieu, but I'm going to have to leave." He stood up and downed the rest of his tea.

"Blame me for taking up so much of your time. I'm an old man who likes to dither on and on."

Rhia walked in from the back room. "Iroh, you can't be leaving so soon. I haven't gotten the chance to talk to you at all!"

Iroh bowed his head apologetically. "I'm sorry to leave so abruptly Rhia, but I have a very urgent appointment. An execution, in fact."

Rhia was confused. "Execution?"

Iroh smiled. "My mother is probably going to kill me when I return."

Rhia laughed lightly. "Well, is there anything we can do for you before you go?"

Iroh pondered the question. His face cleared as an idea occurred to him. "Can I have some Jasmine to go?" He asked hopefully.

Hieu and Rhia waved goodbye as Iroh departed, leaving just the two of them in the shop.

"It's good to have young visitors again, dear." Rhia remarked. "It's been forever since a young person has taken any interest. Remember the last one? That Airbender that would always come visit our son? For the life of me I can't remember that boy's name."

"Aang." Hieu said quietly. "His name was Aang."

**Thank you for reading! I was really proud of this chapter and I hope you like it too! Let me know if you know who Hieu and Rhia's son is! Thanks for all the support and I hope you continue reading. I have big plans for this story. And don't forget to come to the dark side(We have cookies).**

** -Darthlane**


	3. Chapter 3- The Fire Lord's Decision

**Hello loyal Fire Nation fans! I was overwhelmed by the support I got for the first two chapters and I hope you like this one as well. When we last saw Iroh he found out the hard truth of the sins his grandfather Sozin and his father Azulon had commited. Now he will find out some things that will shatter his entire world. I hope you enjoy.**

**Darthlane**

Chapter 3

Iroh snuck through the dark halls of the Fire Nation Palace silently. He had to watch out for guards that marched around searching for assassins and spies. Over the years of sneaking in and out of the Palace he had developed the skills required for silent movement. He practiced evading the soldiers on a regular basis on his way in and out of the Palace. This time however, there were more dire consequences than usual. He cursed himself and his lack of thinking silently.

For starters he should never have disappeared earlier when his mother had told him about his grandfather's death. She would be incredibly angry and looking for him. There was no doubt that she would have already checked his room and anywhere else he would be in the Palace. She would know something was wrong, that he wasn't where he was supposed to be. She might even suspect that he had been visiting the people of the capital. Iroh knew she would be livid at the thought of that. The dangers aside, she wanted very much to keep a tight control on his and Ozai's lives. She couldn't maintain that if Iroh was out of the Palace, her domain, and listening to "the lies" of the people. She couldn't allow that.

His second mistake was that he had gotten a pot of tea from Hieu and Rhia. It had been a spur of the moment decision, and it hadn't occurred to him until he had entered the Palace through the secret passage he had found years earlier that it might just be the incriminating evidence she needed. Iroh was under more pressure than ever to reach his room undetected.  
Iroh was slinking around a torch-lit corner and almost ran right into a spear wielding guard. He threw himself back around and pressed himself as flat as he could against the wall. Hopefully he hadn't been seen. Acting fast, he pulled a small pellet out of his pocket and lit it with his firebending. It sparked and fizzled like a firework. Iroh tossed it to the other side of the hall. It bounced around erratically, causing a commotion of light and sound. As Iroh hoped, the soldier rushed forward to investigate. Iroh pressed himself as close to the wall as he could as the guard ran past. Thankfully, the soldier was too focused on the pellet to see Iroh. Iroh slipped by behind the unsuspecting guard and tiptoed quickly around the corner and down the hall.

Realizing that the pellet wasn't an immediate threat, the guard whirled around to see who had thrown it. But there was no one there. He scratched his head and continued on his route.

Iroh breathed a sigh of relief when he had gotten far enough away. "That was way too close." He muttered. "I have to remember to listen more closely. He almost caught me." He continued more carefully.

Luckily, the rest of the way to his room was clear. He was able to slip into his room and closed the door before some ill fate let him be caught right as he reached his goal. But he was safe.

"Thank the spirits." He breathed. "That was too close."

What," said a voice behind him, "was too close?" He whirled around to see Ilah and two guards standing in the center of his room. Her arms were crossed and even in the dark lighting he could see the sour expression on her face.

"Hello, mother." Iroh said defeated.

"Where have you been, Iroh?" His mother asked. "I was in the middle of talking to you and you go and disappear the moment I look the other way. Why?" Her eyes narrowed when she noticed the tea pot in his hand. "Where did that come from?" Her voice was almost too soft to hear. Somehow it was scarier than if she had yelled. She snatched the tea pot from his grasp and examined it.

"Iroh, where did you get this? Did you go outside?" she glared supernovas at him. "Where did this come from, Iroh?"

Iroh decided he'd had enough with hiding. He wasn't going to let his mother intimidate him anymore. "Yes I did, mother." He said defiantly. "I went outside and I experienced real tea!"

His mother wasn't amused in the slightest. She looked like she was about to grow fangs instead. It was surprisingly easy to imagine her as a snake. "I have told you time after time to never leave the grounds. I have told you more times than there are stars in the night sky to always have bodyguards with you at all times. I have told you oh so many times simply to listen to me." She was hissing in anger by the last sentence. Iroh was scared she would crush the handle of the tin tea pot she had taken from him. Even despite the fact that she was a rather thin woman with little in the way of muscles she still somehow managed to be the scariest thing Iroh had ever seen. It occurred to him that the great Earth Kingdom stronghold of Ba Sing Se would already be conquered if Ilah thought that the city had broken curfew. "But do you ever listen to anything I have to say? No! You think you know better, as if a few years of listening to gossip from peasants could possibly give you more wisdom the long time I have spent at your father's side learning the machinations of how the Fire Nation works have for me? How dare you!"

"I'm sorry, mother." He gritted through his teeth. "I won't make the same mistake." The mistake being speaking his mind.

"How very right you are, my son." She said maliciously. "Your father had a very good idea on what to do with you. I think we should go see him."

Iroh's blood turned cold. In the past he wouldn't have been quite as worried. His father Azulon actually tended to be more lenient than his mother. But after discovering the truth about his family's checkered past he no longer felt quite as good about seeing his dad. He wouldn't ever be able to look at his father the same way again after what he had learned. Coincidentally, Iroh felt even less enthusiastic about becoming the Fire Lord later on than he had before. Now instead of just a future he didn't agree with it was a nightmare that could very well become a reality. Would he be able to resist the power that had consumed his ancestors? Would he be able to live with himself after words? Iroh didn't want to find out.

Ilah led the way to the Fire Lord's chamber while the two guards kept close behind Iroh to make sure he didn't find a way to slip away. Iroh didn't have a choice but to march his way to whatever fate his parents had planned for him.

Iroh was scared as to what his punishment could possibly be. He knew both of his parents could be incredibly creative and cruel. Would they use their dark talents that had let them rule the world on their very own son? Iroh was ashamed to know that he wasn't sure. How could anyone not know if their parent was capable of torturing their kid or not? How could a parent let their child's image of them grow so bad? Iroh realized that his relationship with his parents was even more strained than he had thought, since it was so easy to see this happening.

They entered the giant chamber where Azulon and Sozin before him had used for all manner of meetings. The room was massive and had been used for many war meetings since Sozin had ordered it built. Iroh was always impressed, without fail, to the genius of the design put into the room. At the back quarter of the room was a wall of flames, and behind that a raised platform where the Fire Lord sat. The platform was high enough that all visitors, no matter how tall, looked up to him. That combined with the flames created an atmosphere of awe and fear. Iroh knew all too well how good Azulon was at using that in his favor.

Azulon was in front of the flames for once, pacing the length of the room. The massive table was set to the side of the room. His head swiveled to his guests as they entered. "Thank you for bringing him, my dear." He said to Ilah. "The three of us have much to talk about." He waved over one of the servants that his among the deep shadows caused by the flames. The servant emerged from behind one of the giant Fire Nation banners and brought them all plush cushions to sit on, then faded away once again. Iroh didn't blame the man for trying to hide. Spending all day with his father must be an ordeal.

They sat down and Azulon began what he had to say. "Iroh, I'm not sure exactly how to put this." He sighed. "You know that your mother and I love you, right? Do you understand that everything we do, everything we have ever done, is to create a world that will one day be yours to rule?" When Iroh didn't answer he continued. "If you do, then you must understand how frustrating it is that you struggle every step of the way of our plans. I don't know if you don't realize that we are trying to help you and accidentally get in the way, or worse that you are intentionally trying to stop us from helping you." His eyes narrowed and chills crawled up Iroh's spine. "If somehow it's the second scenario I must wonder. . . why? Why do you oppose us? Do you believe we aren't on the same side?"

Iroh knew he had to speak carefully. "Or course I believe in you, Father. I know you have my best interests in mind." Ilah watched Iroh like an eagle hawk, somehow knowing he wasn't entirely truthful. She unnerved him even more than his father.

Azulon stroked his beard. "So you admit that you understand what we are trying to do for you. Does that mean that you are for whatever reason trying to stop us?" Ilah grinned smugly at her son's mistake in wording.

"No I wouldn't dream of impeding your will, Father! That is not what I intended to say. I merely meant that I didn't know your plans. I was unaware I was getting in the way." Iroh was lying through his teeth. He didn't want any part of what his parents had planned for the future. Of course, he couldn't say that to them. That would be suicide. Better to just go along with what they said until he jumped ship first chance he got and left this world behind.

It suddenly struck Iroh that he could just leave. If he planned it right and had luck on his side he had a chance to just disappear. Avoid the whole problem all together. He didn't have to become Fire Lord and take responsibility for the horrors his forefathers had wrought. Just one nagging thing killed this hope.

Ozai.

Iroh couldn't leave his brother. He loved Ozai too much. As much as the twerp annoyed Iroh on a daily basis he was one of the biggest chunks of the Prince's life. Not to mention that if Iroh left there would be nothing to stop his parents from corrupting Ozai and turning him to their ways. Iroh had a chance to save his brother from the darkness if he stayed, and he wasn't about to let Ozai down. Iroh would stay, even if it meant becoming what he despised.

"I think I know the problem with you, my son." Azulon said. "I think we spoiled you. We were too soft. You never learned responsibility, and you never learned discipline. It has warped your thinking. It has clouded your mind so that you no longer can think clearly. It is not your fault, my son, so don't blame yourself. It is ours." He glanced at his wife and she pretended not to notice. "We should have been much more careful with the future Fire Lord." Ilah gritted her teeth in annoyance.

"But fortunately," he continued," it is not too late to amend the mistakes, to give you the skills you sorely need. In fact the time is ripe. You are the right age to go to the perfect place to teach you responsibility and discipline. "Iroh suddenly knew what his father had planned for him. It was a fate Iroh had hoped never to face. "I think it is time we sent you to join the army, Iroh."

That took Iroh by surprise. "What? Are you serious?"

"Yes." Azulon said slowly, as though trying to get a concept through to a small child. "We are very serious about this."

"But you can't!" Iroh exclaimed. He was freaking out. He couldn't join the Fire Nation army.

"To the contrary, Iroh." His father said. "We can and we will. You will be leaving tomorrow evening, after you grandfather's funeral."

"It's tomorrow?" Iroh asked. "How can it be tomorrow? That's way too soon!" How could his grandfather's funeral already be planned? It would have been impossible to plan it so fast.  
"It's tomorrow because I say its tomorrow." Azulon said. He sounded more impatient, as though he were tired of answering stupid questions. "Is it really that hard to understand, son?"

Iroh forced himself to swallow his questions. His father was unlikely to give him a straight answer to any of them and his mother would probably find some way use them against him. "No Father, I understand." Iroh knew he had no chance of persuading them. They were going to send him to enlist and there was nothing he could do about it. "Where am I being sent?"

"We considered sending you to the Fire Nation Officer Academy, but we thought it might be better for you to have a more down to earth military education. You will be going to a base on the coast of the Earth Kingdom. Don't worry; it is in one of the Colonies. You'll be quite safe."

Iroh closed his eyes. So this would be his fate. He was causing problems for his parents so they solved it the best way they knew how: get rid of him. If things went according to their plan he would return in a few years an obedient drone. In the meantime, they could fill Ozai's head with all the distorted truths they could spit out. It was perfect.

Iroh considered for a moment again about running away. He could do it tonight. The guards had yet to catch him, and there was no reason to think they would start now. But where would he go? He could stay with Hieu and Rhia, but that was a huge risk. Troops would comb the capital in search for him so he would never be able to step foot in the streets again. Besides, his mother already knew he had visited a tea shop. It would be the first place she checked.

Then where? He could go into the country perhaps.

But if he did he would miss the funeral. And he would leave Ozai all alone. Sure, he wouldn't see him for months, even years from now, but if he ran away he wouldn't see his brother ever. That made his mind up for him. He would have to fight through his parents every step of the way, but he wasn't going to let Ozai fall to darkness.

He was going to join the army.

"If that's what you have decided then I shall do as you wish." Iroh said slowly, hating every word. "I'm going to bed now."

He stood up and left the chamber. As soon as he was alone in the hallway he sat down in a heap and cried softly. When had his life changed so suddenly? Hadn't he and Ozai just sparred earlier today? What had been the catalyst?

Iroh forced himself to stand. Now was not the time to be weak. Now was the time to prepare, to plan. He wanted to make sure that his parents wouldn't be able to control his life like this ever again. For that he needed power. Iroh smiled. At least that would be easy to get where he was going.

He began walking back to his room. He had a lot of planning to do.

What are Iroh's plans now that he knows where his parents are planning to send him? Was it mere coincidence that they are removing him from their capital right after Sozin died? Will Iroh actually drink the tea he ordered? Find out all of this and more if I deem it necessary for the next chapter. Thanks for reading! By the way, I have a big surprise coming so stay alert! Also, don't forget to come to the dark side(we have cookies!).

Darthlane


	4. Chapter 4- The Funeral

**Hey guys thanks for checking out another chapter! As some of you may have known, I released the first chapter of a new Legend of Korra story called ****Revenge of the Red Lotus**** last week. Check it out if you haven't already. Also, This past Saturday was the ten year anniversary of when "The Boy in the Iceberg" and "The Avatar Returns" heired. It's officially been ten years, guys. Be proud of that. This chapter is dedicated to that anniversary. Thanks for reading!**

**-Darthlane**

Chapter 4

Iroh gazed out at his target, his prize. Ba Sing Se. The city that literally meant "impenetrable city." He was by no means the first to try to capture it, and he wouldn't be the last. But maybe, just maybe, he would be the first to succeed.

He couldn't help but be impressed by the walls that towered overhead. It wasn't a question of how difficult it would be to break through, but more of how impossible it would be. Iroh shook his head slightly. The fact that the Fire Lord expected anyone, even his son, the great Fire Nation hero The Dragon of the West, to conquer it was just crazy. Ridiculous. Ludicrous. Iroh didn't know if his dad was just trying to distract the Earth Kingdom for some reason, or if he actually thought they could break through. Either way, Iroh had no choice but to do what his father ordered.

Just like always.

"Dad?" A voice from behind him called. Iroh turned to see a tall young man approaching. "The men are starting to get restless."  
Iroh smiled. "Haven't u told you enough times already, Lu Ten? You call me 'General' until we get back home."

"You're supposed to call me 'Officer', but you never do, Dad." Lu Ten retorted.

"True, true. So what are the men complaining about this time? I made sure we had enough drink to last three years, so they can't complain about that again. I learned from my last siege."

"As if they needed alcohol where we are going. No, most of them are wondering why we haven't attacked yet. They seem to really want to take on that wall." Lu Ten lowered his voice slightly. "Of course, that's just a cover. It's pretty easy to tell that they are actually very, very, nervous about this. They've all heard the rumors about the defenses of this place. Not one of them wants to throw their lives away knowing that thousands have fallen in between here and there without even getting a scratch on that wall." He grabbed Iroh's shoulder. His face was riddled with concern. "Dad, do really know what you're doing? Please tell me you have a plan. I can't stand by with good conscience and let you lead them if I think you will lead them to a slaughter."

Iroh nodded approvingly. "Nor should you. That's why I made you second-in-command. You have their best interests at heart." He grinned like a maniac, a feverish gleam in his eyes. "But you don't need to worry, Lu Ten. I have a plan. Boy, do I have a plan." He laughed, giving his full beard a nice stroke. He turned to face his prize once more.

"Iroh." Hearing his name again, he tried to turn around but found he could not. "Iroh." He tried again, but still couldn't move. What was going on? "Iroh!" Why was he frozen? Was it some kind of bending, or maybe influence from a spirit? "Iroh, wake up!"

Iroh sat up with a start. He realized he was sweating. He had never experienced that vivid a dream before. It had seemed so real.

Based on how bright it was, Iroh figured it must be early morning. Ozai was leaning against the wall next to the door, his arms crossed. "Took you long enough to get up. I swear, the older you get the harder it is to wake you up. This is getting ridiculous, Iroh." Ozai smiled. It chilled Iroh to the bone. It reminded him too much of his mother's.

"What's ridiculous is that you come into my room so much." Iroh retorted. "It's almost like you enjoy spending time me. But that can't be right. Mr. too-cool-for-social-interaction couldn't possibly enjoy that."

"At least I have friends." Ozai teased. "You barely talk to anyone."

"I have friends. They just aren't all nobles' kids and sons of the guards."

Ozai snickered. "Ha. Like who?"

"You don't know them." Iroh answered. "They're in the city."

The good mood crashed like a piece of glass. "So it's true?" Ozai asked quietly. "You are sneaking out?" He seemed apprehensive, as though he had found out Iroh had some sort of disease.

"Yeah, Ozai. I am."

"Iroh, you know mother has told us time and time again not to leave. The common people aren't like us. They're violent and unpredictable. You could get hurt out there."

"Where did you hear that from?" The Prince asked, an edge in his voice. He already knew the answer.

"Mother, of course. She knows everything."

"Ozai, have you ever wondered if she's been lying to you? She is your only source of information. You would never know."

Ozai scoffed at the idea. "Of course she's not lying to us. She wouldn't do that kind of thing. Besides, she isn't the only one that teaches me things. I have teachers."

"Those teachers work for her." Iroh reminded his brother. "She tells them what to teach you."

"They wouldn't lie to me either." Ozai said confidently. "You're over thinking everything, Iroh. You're jumping at shadows that just aren't there."

Iroh was wondering not for the first time if maybe his brother was right. "Maybe. Maybe." What if he was just being paranoid?

Iroh supposed that he might just be desperate. He was becoming lonelier and more depressed all the time. Maybe his mind was just trying to find someone to blame it on.  
Iroh changed the subject. "So what time is the funeral?" He didn't really want to talk about that, but it was better than further alienating himself from his brother. Especially since they wouldn't see each other for a while.

"It's later today." Ozai said sadly. He obviously didn't want to talk about it either. "Around sunset."

That meant Iroh would probably be leaving right after the funeral. He had only a few hours to spend with his brother before he had to go. "Then we have some time today before we have to start preparing for the funeral. What do you want to do?" He was determined to enjoy today. It was all he would have gotten out of all this.

"We could spar some more." Ozai suggested. "Give me some pointers. I wanna be as strong as Dad."

Iroh got up out of his bed. "Let's go. I gotta make up for you getting through me yesterday."

Ozai was surprised. It usually took much more to motivate Iroh to spar with him. "Really? That's all it took?"

Iroh nodded. "Really. Let's have fun." Before Ozai could say anything else Iroh walked out of his room and towards the courtyard. Ozai followed in wonder. As far as he could guess the news of their grandfather's death must have struck some chord within his brother, making him realize he had to enjoy the moments he had before he lost the chance. He had no idea that Iroh would be leaving.

Iroh and Ozai took their places in their usual sparring area, in the grass. "I know we've only really tried with martial arts, but I think you're. I think you are ready to start bending with me."

"What?" Ozai exclaimed. "You're serious, right?" What had gotten to Iroh today? Ozai couldn't remember his brother ever acting like this. "This isn't just some stupid joke?"

Iroh chuckled. "No, Ozai, it's not. I want you to come at me with your best and nothing but."

Ozai grinned and started motioning his hands and legs to begin bending

"Wait a moment, Ozai!" Iroh said. "First I want to lay down some rules. One, we aren't going to actually hurt each other, so be careful. Mom would kill us if we got hurt. Rule two, don't damage the grass or that tree over there."

Ozai gasped. "But that's gonna be impossible! I mean, this is firebending we're dealing with. How am I supposed to keep from burning the grass?"

"Just do it, Ozai. This rule is about control. You're attacks need to be precise."

Ozai scoffed. "Precise? What so I need precision for? It's fire!"

"That's exactly why you need it." Iroh answered "Fire is the most deadly thing humans have ever got their hands on. It's not like a blade. A blade just splits things, and that can be useful. Cutting wood, for example. But all fire can do is destroy. It has no other uses whatsoever."

"So that means it's very useful when I want something destroyed. See? It has uses."

"But the fact that it is so destructive means you need to have fine control over it. If you aren't careful you could end up destroying something you love. So I want you to treat the grass like that. You can't bear it if the grass is damaged. The grass is precious to you. You must defend it at all costs." While Ozai was still absorbing the words Iroh launched a fire ball. Ozai barely managed to deflect the flame, and it scorched the grass at his feet.

"Hey! You can't do that!" Ozai cried.

"Why not? You should have been ready. Don't blame me because you couldn't handle the fire. There are no excuses. Make sure you can take any opponent. By the way, the grass is on fire. Do better next time."

Ozai glared daggers as he stamped the fire out. "Bring it on." He growled.

Iroh threw a more powerful fireball at his brother. Ozai was able to make the fireball circle around him and fly back at Iroh, a very impressive move for his age. Iroh blocked the flame easily, and it dissipated into the air. Iroh attacked again.

Hours passed like this, the two brothers firebending in the courtyard that unbeknownst to them their grandfather Sozin and Avatar Roku had sparred in years past.

Around midday Ilah entered the courtyard and told them that they had to begin their preparations for the funeral. But first they had lunch.

As they ate, Iroh reflected on how the day with Ozai had gone. His brother had improved his control steadily as they sparred, and eventually the grass avoided all damage under his power. They were good memories, and he would hold them close while he was in the Earth Kingdom.

Iroh spent the rest of the time before the funeral being fussed over by an army of attendants. The servants were merciless in their treatments of him, tearing apart his entire image before putting back together. His hair, his clothes, his face, everything was apparently too disgusting to show up to the funeral. They did what they did best, and when it was over Iroh felt like hell.

The Royal Family was all seated at Sozin's funeral hours before the funeral was supposed to begin. Other important people, such as retired generals that served under Sozin, would arrive soon after. Arrivals would show up in descending importance as the day progressed. Iroh had no idea who organized this kind of thing. It seemed like the kind of thing his mother would be in charge of, although this might be a little out of even her league.

His families were all dressed in formal white robes, as was custom. Ozai looked even more uncomfortable than Iroh. He wasn't even trying to behave. He lounged around like he was Fire Lord and didn't give a damn about respecting his subjects. "C'mon Ozai." Iroh whispered to his brother. "It's grandfather's funeral. Don't disrespect his memory like this."

Ozai threw a glare his way. "The funeral hasn't even started yet. There's no reason anybody should care."

"Just sit up. You only have to do it for today." Ozai grumbled to itself as he sat up.

Eventually the funeral started, as the sun had almost reached the horizon. When everyone was ready a Fire Sage took his place in front of the crowd of nobles and military officers. He began by informing everyone of how Sozin had become Fire Lord and had seen the greatness of his people, the Fire Nation, and knew he must share it with the world. The Air Nomads, being the backwards savages they were, rejected what the Fee Nation tried to teach them and attacked the Fire Nation in unjustified fury. They forced the Fire Nation to wipe them out in a horrible, bloody conflict. The Sage continued by telling them of Sozin's subsequent victories over the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom. Like the Air Nomads, they rejected the prosperity the Fire Nation tried to share, opting for their own barbaric practices. They too attacked the Fire Nation, and the greatest Nation was forced to defend itself. The Fire Nation had been trying to spread peace and prosperity, as was Sozin's dream, ever since.

Iroh slipped to sleep several times throughout the Sage's speech. Not only was most of what he said just a twisted version of the truth, but it was stuff Iroh had heard a million times before. So had everyone else. Iroh glanced around to see that most of the people here had similar troubles staying awake. His mother, he noticed, had stayed perfectly attentive the entire time. Scary.

"... Is succeeded by his son, Fire Lord Azulon, his daughter-in-law Ilah, and his grandchildren Prince Iroh and Ozai. In remembrance of his legacy Fire Lord Azulon will continue Sozin's dream of a perfect world, something that he may achieve in our lifetime if he is fortunate." Two more Sages appeared and stood at either end of Sozin's coffin. The head Sage nodded at the other two and they lit the ends ablaze "May his memory live on for the rest of time. Long live the Fire Lord!" It was over.

People began to stand up and the army of servants directed them to the exit. Iroh only just now noticed how dark it had become. It was strange how night could creep up on you so easily. Ozai gladly stood up and make his way quickly to leave before Ilah could stop him. Just like that, he was gone. Iroh felt a sharp pain in his chest as he realized he wouldn't see his brother again for months.

Before he could stand up himself Ilah grabbed his wrist. "Don't go anywhere, Iroh." She ordered sharply. The three Fire Nation royals waited for all of the other attendees to leave. Iroh was forced to sit and wait, with the only thing he was able to do being to watch his grandfather's pyre burn down slowly. Soon all that was left was his family and a plethora of guards.

Ilah finally allowed him to stand and led him to the exit. Azulon left for his chamber so he could catch up on the work he had missed out on because of the funeral. Iroh and Ilah, meanwhile, headed down to the ocean. Iroh noticed that most of the guards left with them rather than the Fire Lord. One of them was even carrying his luggage. Iroh realized his mother must not trust him not to run away.

They eventually reached one of the massive iron ships that waited in the bay. The ramp was still down, waiting for him. A man, probably the captain, waited in front of the ramp, flanked by two soldiers. As they approached he shouted out, "Good thing you finally showed up! All the other recruits showed up two hours ago. We were beginning to think we would have to stay the night." He grinned confidently, a man completely in his element. "Name's Lou Sai. I'm the Captain of this vessel, and you will obey my every command for the next two weeks. I know that you may be the Prince of this here rock, but you still listen to me while you are aboard my vessel. Understand?"

Iroh nodded his head. He didn't feel much like talking. He went ahead and walked up the ramp. There was nothing left for him here.

Later that night, with the moon high in the sky, two shadows crept through the streets of the capital. They eventually arrived at their destination, a rundown tea shop. One, a woman, told the other, "This is the place. I just know it." She pointed at the shop. "Light it up, Lieutenant."

Her companion was surprised. "What? You can't be serious! I can't light a fire here."

The woman leaned in and said menacingly, "You have no idea how serious I am. These people messed with my family and they shall pay for it." When the man still hesitated, she added, "Do you want to be a General or not?"

The man took a deep breath and launched a single flame into the carpet. "Oh God, I can't believe I just did that. What have I done?"

"What I told you to." The woman said matter of factly. "Let's go." She walked off at a brisk pace into the shadows.

The man followed reluctantly, watching the fire he had started until it was out of sight. He would never forgive himself for what he had just done.

That night, the Golden Rose Tea Shop burned down in a blazing crescendo. Authorities weren't sure, but they believed the owners of the shop, an elderly couple, perished inside. No one had any idea how the fire was started. It must have been an accident. It couldn't have been murder. Who would want to kill that poor old couple?

**What do you think of that, guys? Iroh is now off to the next step of his adventure, when he finally leaves home and will join the army. Meanwhile, his mother has darker intentions than anyone would have guessed. Let me know what you think in the reviews! Plus don't forget to favorite and follow! And don't forget to come to the dark side (we have cookies!).**

**-Darthlane**


	5. Chapter 5- New Friends

**Welcome back to another chapter of Dragon of the West! When we left off Iroh was leaving the Fire Nation against his will to go join the Fire Nation Army. What will he do now that he is leaving? What will happen with Ozai now that Iroh is gone? Find out now!**

** -Darthlane**

Chapter 5

Iroh walked quietly onto the ship. It would be his new home until they reached the Earth Kingdom. He heard footsteps behind him and realized that the soldier carrying his bag had followed him aboard the ship. "Go ahead and let me see that." He said. "I can take it to my room. I have get used to doing stuff myself anyway." He took the bag from the guard. "Go ahead and go before you get stuck on here like I am."

The soldier bowed and said, "Thank you, sir. Good luck." He turned to leave but stopped. He turned back to Iroh. "Before I go, I think you should get some advice. Just remember that once this ship starts moving all the power and authority you had will be void. People won't treat you like a Prince. They'll treat you like a soldier in training. In fact, the less people know who your dad is the better."

Iroh was confused by the last part. "If it's not going to help me anyway, why do I need to hide it?"

"Because even if you don't get anything from it people will think you do." His eyes narrowed. "Every time you do better than them they will be resentful. They will bully you. They will trick you. They will make your life a living hell and will trip you up every chance they get simply because they couldn't before and now they can. If you do better than them they will say that it is because the instructor feared what the Fire Lord will think. If you don't do better they will claim your luxurious living style made you weak. You can't win."

"Do you really think teens would be that cruel?" Iroh asked. He had doubts that this was more than just paranoia. "Most people aren't like that."

"I've seen more than enough good people do horrible, disgusting things." The soldier said. "People are capable of much more than you would believe when they are desperate enough. Anyway, good luck and be careful." He marched down the ramp and dissapeared.

"Maybe I should wait to tell anyone what I am." Iroh muttered to himself. "Just in case he's right." His instructors would already know who he was. That was a given. But to the other trainees, based on appearance alone, he was just another recruit. They had no reason to believe any different. Hell, maybe it could even be fun to keep up a charade. If his hunch was right, that would be about the only fun he would have.

He realized he had no idea where his room was. He wanted to drop off his stuff and go find the cafeteria so he could finally have dinner. He had no idea where either was. He started exploring the torch-lit metal halls of the Fire Nation ship.

He found out that Fire Nation ships were much larger on the inside, and they were already massive on the outside. He was lost very quickly. He tried to go back to the ramp when he started regretting his decision, but was completely lost. He suspected that he was going in circles.

A hand grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around. "What are you doing here? You know the trainees are supposed to be in their bunks!"

Iroh waved his hands. "Sorry! I just got here. I'm trying to find-"

"Wait! You just got here? You mean you're the Prince?" The sailor asked, a grin suddenly on his face. "Why didn't you just say so!" He slapped an arm around Iroh and led him down the hall. "I'll be more than happy to help out our new royal friend. Fancy being a soldier, eh?"

"No not really. I-" Iroh began before being cut off.

"You're trying to get to know your subjects lives then? Understanding the soldiers you are going to lead one day?"

"It wasn't really my choi-"

"I like you already, Princey. You need anything, just find me. Ask for Shu-an. Maybe you could even help out me sometime. You know, be a good friend."

Iroh decided to just shut up. He was unlikely to get a word in anyway. It turned out that this guy had more than enough to say. In fact, he kept up the one sided conversation all the way to Iroh's bunk. There was already another boy there.

"See ya around, kid." Shu-on said as he left. "I'll be sure to keep in touch."

The other boy was short and slender with close cut brown hair. He looked wiry but not very strong, and Iroh felt that he could beat this guy in training, or even in a fight if it came down to it. Hopefully it wouldn't. The boy looked like a nice guy.

The kid jumped up from his bed, the lower bunk."Hello. I'm Mylo. What's your name?" The other kid extended a hand.

Iroh shook hands and said, "Iroh." Before he could stop himself. Then he wondered why he would want to. Mylo had no reason to believe that he was the Prince of the Fire Nation, even if he shared the name. He was safe using his own name.

"I see you already have the bottom bunk." Iroh remarked. "I guess I have top." He lifted his bag to the top bunk and climbed after it. Mylo watched him carefully as he did this.

"So where are you from?" Mylo asked. He dissapeared from view as Iroh reaches his new sleeping space. It was a very small bed. He could already tell that his feet would hang off the end.

"I'm from the capital." Iroh didn't want to risk saying any more than that. One slip up could be difficult to explain away.

"Really?" Mylo asked from below. "Have you seen the Fire Lord? Did you get to meet Sozin? That would be so flamin'."

"Uh, no I haven't." Iroh said warily. He didn't like where the conversation was heading. "They don't really leave the Palace much. Im sure they are busy with leading and stuff like that."

"Did Sozin die?" Mylo asked enthusiastically. "I heard earlier that he died, but I hope it was just a rumor. Do you know if it's true or not?"

"Can you show me where the cafeteria is?" Iroh asked loudly. He hoped Mylo would drop the conversation. He didn't want to be reminded about his grandfather.

"Uh, sure." Mylo said, mildly surprised by Iroh's outburst. "I can take you there."

They both left and Mylo led Iroh to the dining hall. "I don't know if they will let you eat anything, Iroh. Dinner ended a while ago. And they will probably be mad if they find us in the halls." Iroh didn't answer. He had been worried that that might be the case.

An awkward silence fell on them. Iroh eventually broke it. "So where are you from? You never said." He wasn't that interested to be honest, but Mylo seemed like a good guy. They might end up being friends. Besides, his parents had taught him more than enough about politics so he knew that showing interest in another person was key in getting them on your side.

"I'm from a small village in the north called Wy Zhi. It's on a river. We fished a lot." Iroh asked about more details of the village and they maintained a steady conversation until they reached the dining hall. Mylo looked around. It was empty except for a number of tables and benches.

"There's no one here. I guess you're out of luck, buddy." Iroh could almost see the spark as Mylo's eyes lit up with an idea. "Unless..." Mylo rushed over to a door next to the large counter where Iroh guessed the food was served. "They make the food back here. Maybe there's something left."

"Are you really going to steal something?" Iroh asked, surprised.

Mylo's head popped back out of the door. "If you don't want to do this, I completely understand. If you say so, we'll leave right now. But we don't get fed until breakfast and I can hear your stomach growling from here. So yes or no?"

He was right. Iroh was too hungry to back down now and he didn't think he could wait until breakfast. "Let's do it." He followed Mylo into the kitchen.

The room was cluttered with all sorts of cooking supplies and appliances. Iroh was interested to find out that the stove was operated by Firebending. He wondered if that meant someone had to be a Firebender to be a cook.

After a little bit of searching the two boys found a freezer filled with all sorts of food items. "There you go." Mylo said. "Grab something and let's get back to our room before we get caught."

Right as Iroh's hand gripped a small cake the entire ship rumbled. Both boys were rocked and Mylo ended up being thrown into a wall. Iroh o only escaped the same fate because he grabbed the freezer for support.

"What was that?" Iroh asked in dismay. Had the ship been hit by some sort of explosion? But that was impossible; they were still sitting in the Fire Nation Capital Docks, one of the most heavily defended places in the world. "Are you okay?"

"We're moving." Mylo said, but he sounded unsure. "We're leaving the Fire Nation."

It hit Iroh just how important this moment was to him. He was finally leaving home. He was going to the Earth Kingdom. He was actually doing it. He wondered how long it would be before he returned.

"Let's go." He grabbed a second small cake and led the way back to the hallway. They returned in silence and didn't run into any patrolling crewmen. They entered their room, and to Iroh's surprise two boys were already there.

"Who the hell are you?" The first one asked. He was tall and fit, with wavy black hair that tucked behind his ear.

"I think I should be asking you that." Iroh retorted. "Seeing as you're in my room."

"Ours." Mylo said as he pushed past Iroh to get into the room. "Our room, Iroh. Hey, Nile. Hey, Satsudi."

Both intruders replied in greeting. The tall one extended his hand to Iroh. "So you're Mylo's new bunkmate. I'm Nile. Who're you?"

"I'm Iroh." He said and shook the other boy's hand. Nile squeezed his hand as though he was trying to This guy seemed a lot more aggressive and confident than Mylo. More likely to pick a fight. Iroh had to be careful not to let it turn into a bad situation. "It's good to meet you."

He turned to the other boy. "It's good to meet you as well." He extended his hand. "I'm Iroh."

The other boy, Satsudi, was about average height with scruffy, short black hair. He wore glasses and looked to be one of those people that was really awkward no matter who they were with. He shook Iroh's hand and mumbled, "I'm Satsudi. Nice to meet you." He looked away, not willing to meet Iroh in the eyes.

So what are you doing in here?" Iroh asked. "This is our room."

"We dropped by to see our buddy Mylo." Nile said, making himself comfortable on Mylo's bed. "We were a bit confused when he wasn't here. Turns out he was making a new friend." His eyes dropped to the cake in Iroh's hand. Mylo had the other cake. "Ooh! You brought some cake for everyone!" His eyes never leaving Iroh's, he reached for the cake. Iroh realized that Nile was trying to invoke a response out of him. Iroh realized that if he wanted to have friends he had to do whatever it took to get these people on his side. Unfortunatlety theat meant losing his cake. He knew he didn't want the other trainees as enemies along with whatever else was going to be against him.

He let the cake, the beautiful and probably delicious cake, slip out of his hands as Nile took it away. "Thanks." Niles said with a nasty grin. "I know already we're gonna be great friends." He devoured every last bite of the cake in front of a starving Iroh, making it last to draw out the torture. When he was finished he made a big show of licking his fingers, just to make a point." Thanks again, Iroh." He walked past Iroh, his eyes highlighted by the unspoken challenge between the two boys. "Come on, Satsudi." The meek boy followed like a whipped dog. "See y'all tomorrow, guys." The two dissapeared.

When they were out of earshot Mylo let out a big sigh. "Sorry you had to see that. Nile is usually much better behaved. I think he just sees you as a challenger to his authority."

Iroh laughed. "That's ridiculous. If it came to a fight he would crush me." Was Nile really so paranoid of the new kid? He didn't need to be. Nile was big and outweighed Iroh by a considerable amount. Not to mention that Iroh had never been in an actual fight before. All he had was a little martial arts training, and he was willing to bet Nile had just as much training, if not more.

"I don't know." Mylo said, sizing Iroh up and down. "You look like you could hold your own. But he was really seeing you as a threat to the power he has. Are you a Firebender?"

"How did you know?" Iroh asked. He didn't think there was any way to know unless someone actually started bending fire.

"I've heard that powerful benders can sometimes sense if someone else is a bender. Its supposed to be a rare ability that some benders have." Mylo said. His tone darkened. "Not that I would know."

"You're not a Firebender?"

"No." Mylo muttered "I always wanted to be, but I can't do it. It's always been a dream of mine to Firebend, just once." He stared at one of the walls, remembering dreams he had had since childhood.

"Are you completely sure?" Iroh asked. "Did you ever have a teacher try to teach you Firebending?"

"My dad was a Firebender, but he was sent to the Third Siege of Omashu. I never saw him again. There was no one else in my village that could Firebend."

Iroh knew he was asking a bit too much about Mylo's personal life. He didn't want to depress his bunkmate and possible new friend. He said carefully, "I've heard that without a Master some benders don't discover their talent until later in life. You could be one of those people."

Mylo's eyes lit up. "I could? Really?" He looked desperate for a miracle. "You aren't kidding, right? This is possible?"

"From what I've heard it could be possible." Iroh said. "I can try to teach you, if you want."  
Mylo's mouth dropped. "You would do that for me?"

Iroh chuckled. "Of course I would. I thought we were on the way to being friends." He had said it without thinking and realized he genuinely meant it. He liked Mylo and believed they could be friends.

Mylo grinned. "Yeah. I guess we are." He held up the other cake to Iroh. "Do you want this?"

Iroh felt his mouth watering as he nodded vigorously. "Please." He croaked.  
Mylo handed over the cake. "Do you wanna try teaching me tomorrow, Iroh?"

"Sure." Iroh answered absentmindedly, his full concentration on the cake.

"I think this is gonna work out, Iroh." Mylo said, a happy gleam in his eyes. "I really think I might just become a Firebender. Thanks."

Iroh nodded, his mouth full of sweet cake. He swallowed. "Of course."

When Iroh finished the cake he asked Mylo, "So what do you think I should do about Nile?"

Mylo shrugged. "I'd say the best thing you can do is to let him know you aren't going to be bullied. I'm not saying you should pick a fight, but make sure he knows you aren't afraid of him. If he's smart he'll get the idea and put any problem he has behind him. If not..." Mylo left the question open ended.

"What?" Iroh asked.

"Well, I guess we'll find out if he is paranoid for a reason." Mylo said simply. "If I had to guess though, I have a feeling you might be the better bender."

Iroh shook his head in contempt. "This is just stupid. Why does he even think I could be a threat to him? He has nothing to fear that I would take from him."

"Not true." Mylo argued. "He's scared to death that you will take me and Satsudi from him. He thinks you will steal his friends, the only ones he has on this ship. He dosnt want to be alone."

"I don't think friendship works like that." Iroh said.

"Maybe he thinks it does." Mylo considered. "But regardless of if that's true or not, you have to deal with it."

Iroh yawned. "You know, I think I'm ready to break in my new bed. Are you ready to go to sleep?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Mylo said. "Goodnight."

Iroh climbed into bed while Mylo closed the door and blew out the candle that lit their room. It was completely dark except for a sliver of light that slipped in under the door. Just how Iroh liked it.

He tried to get to sleep, but his mind was too busy processing all that had transpired over the last two days. Everything had changed. His grandfather was dead, his father and grandfather had been revealed to have a much darker past than he had believed, he was being shipped off to the Earth Kingdom, and one of his new "friends" wanted nothing more than to fight him. It was a lot to take in.

The last thought that raced through his head before he fell unconscious, strangly enough, was that he was actually looking forward to tomorrow. Even with everything that could go wrong tomorrow Iroh was eager for it to come. With that last thought, he drifted off to sleep.

Iroh woke and immediately cried out. It was way too bright, and the boat was rocking way too much. He sat up and put a hand over his stomach. It felt queasy, and he knew he had better stay close go a bathroom until he felt better.

Was this what they called seasickness? This was terrible. How was he expected to deal with this the entire trip? How was anyone?

Iroh slowly lowered himself down to the floor. Mylo was gone, probably to breakfast. Iroh waited for a little while for the bad feelings in his stomach to subside. His patience was rewarded ten minutes later and he felt good enough to go find the dining hall again. He was lucky and found it with no trouble. Now the route was committed to memory. He got in line at the counter behind some crewmen. As the line moved, Iroh studied the room. Several tables were filled with sailors, mechanics and other members of the crew. Two tables, he noticed, instead had teenagers. He counted a total of twelve including himself. The majority of them all sat at the same table. They were all athletic, handsome, and confident. They probably had rich parents and Typical soon-to-be soldiers. At the other table only three people sat: Mylo, Nile, at Satsudi.

Iroh realized that he had had it all wrong. He had assumed that Nile was the jock type, trying to force his rule on all of the other boys in a primitive monarchy. But it was the opposite. In actuality, Nile was the rebel, the only guy willing to stick up for the weaker recruits like Mylo and Satsudi. The defensiveness of his friends was a lot clearer now. Nile knew his friends were vulnerable so he knew he had to protect them. He didn't want to risk anything that stood a threat to his friends.

Iroh realized he was forced to make a choice. The politics he had learned over the years had taught him that the quickest and surest way to power was to find out who had the power and befriend them. In this case, one the eight boys was the one who held the power. By befriending them Iroh would in a safe, secure clique when they arrived at the Earth Kingdom. He would have enough friends that there was little chance of being singled out for any reason. He could cruise through the following months and would have accomplished all of the goals he had set for himself.

Or he could sit with the outcasts. They could bring little in the way of benefits his way, and were very weak if he ever needed support in the future. But he was already friends with Mylo, and he could envision himself becoming friends with Satsudi and Nile with time. They seemed like good people. People he would like to be friends with. But siding with them was definitely not the smart choice.

So what should he choose? The smart choice or the morally right choice? Should he risk his secret and future safety just because his heart said he should? Maybe. Maybe not.

He suddenly knew which one he had to choose. His entire life, he had known he was different from his family. His parents. Even his little brother Ozai. He knew what they would have chosen. He knew that to remain true to himself, to be the person he believed he was, he had to choose the other option.

Knowing it could very well spell his doom later on, Iroh sat down with Mylo, Nile, and Satsudi for breakfast.

Captain Lou Sai watched with interest as the crowned Prince of the Fire Nation sat down not with the other children of nobles and generals, rich and influential boys like him, but with the outcasts. Why didn't he sit with the promising group of recruits? Did he do that because he too felt like an outcast? Or was it because he saw kindred spirits, people he felt he would be friends with years down the road? Only the boy knew.

"Its going to be interesting watching you, Prince Iroh." He muttered. "You are already very peculiar. I wonder how you will continue to surprise me." He kept a close eye on Iroh. He didn't want to miss a second.

Ozai opened the door to wake up Iroh yet again. He was excited to try Firebending in the courtyard with his brother again. He looked in and quickly noticed that his brother was missing. Where could he be?

First Iroh gets back after Ozai himself goes to bed. Now somehow he gets up before Ozai? How did be manage that kind of sleeping cycle?

Ozai searched for Iroh in every place he could think of with no luck. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed out the window that there was a figure standing the courtyard. There he was!

Ozai quickly made his way outside to start their duel. He was glad that these had begun to be daily. He enjoyed them a lot.

To his surprise it wasn't Iroh waiting for him. Instead his father, Azulon, waited patiently on the courtyard.

"Dad?" Ozai asked, wary. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was under the impression that this was where you liked to practice your Firebending. Is that not true?"

"That's right." Ozai said. "But I usually practice with Iroh. Where is he?"

"That's not important right now." Azulon said. "What is important is your training, Ozai. Tell me: what can you do?"

Ozai grinned. "I can do better than that. I'll show you."

**And that's that! What do y0u guys think of Iroh's new friends? How will siding with them over the popular kids turn out? What will happen to Ozai now that he is under Azulon's dark tutelage? Is there perhaps a bald kid trapped in an iceberg far away that has little impact on this story? Find out soon! Also, don't forget to follow, favorite and review! Please check out my other story, Revenge of the Red Lotus! And don't forget to turn to the dark side(we have cookies!).**

**-Darthlane**


	6. Chapter 6- The Engine Room

**Hello and welcome back to another chapter of Dragon of the West! I don't really have much to say, so I'll let the story do the speaking for me!**

** -Darthlane**

Chapter 6

Iroh sat down with what he hoped would be his new friends. Mylo face broke into a broad grin at seeing him. "Hey, glad you came. Have a good comatose? I tried to wake you, but you were out cold."

Iroh smiled lightly. "Yeah, my brother would always hate that."

Nile and Satsudi didn't look as happy to see him. Satsudi didn't look like he didn't want to see Iroh, but he did look a lot more uncomfortable. Nile frowned for just a moment, but flipped it around into a smile. It didn't escape Iroh that his appearance of happiness didn't reach his eyes.

"Iroh!" Nile said. "Our new buddy! Just who I wanted to see!" He deliberately reached over and grabbed a muffin from Iroh's breakfast. As he was about to put it in his mouth Iroh's hand darted out and grabbed the muffin away.

"We can be enemies," Iroh said, setting the muffin back down with the rest of his breakfast, "or we can be friends. I would rather we became friends, wouldn't you?"

"No one asked you to sit over here." Nile hissed. "Just go sit over there with them." He pointed at the other table.

"I don't want to sit with them." Iroh answered. "I'd rather sit over here."

"You aren't wanted here. See if they will take you, cause we won't."

"You mean you won't." Said Iroh. "Tell me Nile: have I done anything to you? No. In fact, I remember giving you a cake. I think that's a pretty friendly gesture. Does that mean nothing?"

"I've seen your type." Nile grumbled. "Rich, popular. You only came over here because you knew you wouldn't be top dog in their group so you figured you would try and be top dog over here."

His eyes narrowed. "But you'll end up with them soon enough anyway. Might as well leave us alone and go now."

"What's this?" Came a smooth voice behind Iroh. "A lover's spat?"

Iroh turned around to see who was talking.

One of the boys from the other table was leering over Iroh's shoulder, with two others flanking him. He was tall, had long black hair tied back in a ponytail, and had a face the ladies would have fallen head over heels for. His smile was incredibly infectious, and his eyes just shone with intelligence. Iroh knew instantly that this guy was the leader.

"I see our newbie found his way to breakfast." He said, examining Iroh. "My name's Zarai, what's yours?"

"Iroh." He answered.

Zarai's eyes lit up in surprise. He quickly hid it behind his smile again. "You know, you look familiar. I swear I've... seen you before."

_He knows_. Iroh realized that he had seen this guy before. Zarai was the son of a rich businessman that often did business with Azulon. It had been years since Iroh had seen the other boy, but he could tell that it was him.

"I noticed that you and Nile here don't seem to be getting along too well." Zarai continued. "If you feel you need to leave you are welcome with us."

He leaned in close to Iroh's ear. "I don't know why you won't tell them who you are, but I know you don't want them to hear it. Just remember, I know. I can tell them. Watch your step, Prince Iroh. I certainly will."

Zarai and his goons backed away and back to their table. Iroh realized that the whole exchange had lasted a minute, if that. It felt a lot longer.

The rest of the meal Nile stayed silent, brooding over his food. Mylo and Iroh kept up most of the conversation, Satsudi only talking when answering a question. Iroh found out that both Satsudi and Mylo were poor and had only joined up because every family had been required to offer up someone to become a soldier. Iroh had been surprised to hear about that requirement. Just when Iroh thought he had his father figured out, there was always something that revealed him to be darker than Iroh had believed. He was getting to where nothing could surprise him anymore.

Still not sure it was a smart idea to reveal his heritage, Iroh told them he came from a similar situation. They believed him, which was a relief. Then again, they had no reason not to.

All too soon they were ordered to get up. A sailor gathered up all of the recruits. "Until we get there you runts will be our cleaning crew. You guys are going to scrub every nook and cranny of this ship, and if you miss a spot you might just find yourself in a very bad situation."

"What situation would that be?" One boy asked.

"Let's just say that sometimes people find themselves slipping off the side of the ship." The sailor said with a mischievous grin. "A vessel like this can be very dangerous if you aren't careful, you know."

None of the boys looked ready to test if the sailor was kidding or not. They all claimed a mop from the supply closet and spread out throughout the ship.

Iroh ended up spending the day cleaning up a good portion of the surface of the ship. The deck was completely open, since their ship had no need for a mast or sails like older ships did. Only the bridge towered over him.

Near the end of the day a crew member approached Iroh and told him to go below deck and gather the men's laundry. Iroh complied, happy to have a change of jobs. Mopping and scrubbing wasn't that hard at all, but he had been doing it for hours. He was starting to go crazy.  
Iroh went down the halls of the ship with a large rolling bucket, collecting anything that needed washing from the rooms. When he was done he brought the bucket back to the deck for more orders.

There was a large crowd gathered in a circle. It was mainly other recruits, but a few soldiers were mixed in. Iroh pushed his way to the front to see what everyone was looking at.  
The crowd was surrounding three people, Satsudi, Nile, and one of the other boys Iroh didn't know. Satsudi was on the ground and there was a large bruise on his cheek. Nile was standing in between him and the other boy.

"Just cause he's smaller than you that gives you the right to hit him?" Nile asked angrily.

"No," the other boy answered arrogantly, "I hit him because he was being cheeky. He needs to learn to respect his superiors."

"I know Satsudi wouldn't talk to anybody like that, Lee." Nile said. "And you are far from anyone's superior." Hi grinned as a few oohs came from the crowd.

Faster than Iroh would have expected Lee's fist flew and punched Nile, knocking him to the ground. "So you want to get cheeky too? I thought you were smarter than that!"

Nike roared as he scrambled to his feet and tackled Lee. Zarai and another boy rushed to pull Nile off of him. They held him back by his arms. Lee slowly got to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth. "You insolent worm!" He punched the defenseless boy again.

Lee raised his fist to strike again but was interrupted by Iroh shouldering into him, knocking him down once again. Iroh pulled the unnamed boy off of Nile and shoved him to the ground. Zarai pushed Nile away and threw a fireball at Iroh. His jaw dropped as Iroh made it circle around himself and back at him.

A man stepped in the way and made the fireball disappear. Iroh realized that it was none other than the captain himself, Lou Sai. "What is going on here? There is no fighting aboard my vessel!"

Iroh bowed down to avoid getting in any more trouble. "Sorry, sir. It won't happen again, sir." The other four participants followed suit.

"I think you should are sorry." Lou Sai said. "A ship like this is a very delicate instrument. We can only keep moving as long as we maintain order and efficiency." His voice lowered. "And if there is anything that disrupts order and efficiency it's fighting."

He turned and looked out at the sea. No one dared say a word. After what felt like agonizing hours but couldn't have been more than a minute or two he said, "I've decided that you five will put in some hard labor as punishment. I think you can work down in the engine room, maybe. Yeah that sounds good. Tomorrow you guys are going to do some real work. Are you all clear?" Iroh realized that he hadn't noticed that Satsudi had been involved as well. Iroh was glad. There was no reason that he should be punished.

"Yes, sir." All five boys said. At the captain's nod everyone, boys and crew members alike, cleared the deck in a hurry.  
Iroh wasted no time going back to his room. Mylo was already there. "Whoa Iroh! You look out of breath. You didn't run here, did you?" When Iroh didn't answer Mylo asked, "Did something happen."

"Yeah." Iroh said, sitting down next to his roommate. "One of the other guys got into a fight with Nile. When Nile started beating him up two other guys jumped in. Then I jumped in to help Nile. Then the captain caught us and we all have to report down in the engine room tomorrow."

Mylo made a face.

"What?" Iroh asked. "Do you know what we'll be doing?"

"Yeah. I had to do engine duty two weeks ago, while we were at the west coast. One of the engineers went down with a bad cold and they needed someone to replace him. I was the outcast, so I was forced to do it." Mylo shuddered. "It was horrible. It's real difficult, and there aren't any breaks or anything."

"What exactly will we be doing?" Iroh asked, unnerved.

"It's super simple. But simple doesn't mean easy. There are three engines, and three giant piles of coal. You have to keep piling the coal in the steam engine pretty much the entire day. Meanwhile you will be moving these levers to make sure it doesn't get too hot or too cold. At the same time you are doing this it is extremely hot and humid. You are going to sweat like crazy, especially because you will be doing a lot of heavy lifting. It's gonna suck."

Satsudi and Nile suddenly showed up. "Hey." Nile said. "Dinner is ready if you guys are good to go."

"OK." Mylo said. "Let's go."

Mylo and Satsudi started walking down the hall for dinner. As Iroh was leaving the room Nile moved in his way. "Hold up a minute Iroh. I have something to say. I want you to know that just because you jumped into that fight doesn't mean anything. I still don't trust you and I still want you gone. If you come looking for help don't expect to get any from me."

"Noted." Iroh said. "But I want you to know that I'm going to take a leap of faith here. I think I can still win you over and I'm not going to stop trying. So if you ever need help you know where to ask." He pushed past Nile and followed after the other two recruits. Nile took a deep breath and slipped in behind him on the way to dinner.

Dinner was quiet at their table. Both Iroh and Nile didn't feel like talking and Mylo soon gave up trying to start a conversation. Iroh could feel Zarai's eyes zeroed in on the back of his neck. He didn't need to look to know the other boy was watching him like a hawk.

The meal passed by quickly and soon Iroh had left and was in his own bed. He passed out almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

The following morning breakfast passed by almost as quickly as dinner had. It was flowing like a rapid river, or maybe a dream. Breakfast was over before Iroh even knew it.  
Iroh and Nile got up to go to the engine room below. As Iroh passed Satsudi the shy boy grabbed his arm and said softly, "I just wanted you to know, I'm thankful that you stood up for me. I really appreciate it."

Iroh smiled. "Of course. How can I prove myself as a friend to you guys if I don't stick my neck out for you?" He walked away, trying to set his mind on his duty for today_. Well_, he thought_, at least someone appreciates my help._

He found his way to the engine room. The other four boys were already there. Iroh expected to see a legion of engineers, but there was only one very buff man.

Noticing that everyone was now here, the man announced, "Okay runts, listen up! You may have noticed that I'm the only engineer here. I'm the head engineer for this ship, and as is my right I told everyone else that they have the day off since I have you trouble makers."

He walked over to the engines. He pulled a lever on the first one from the fire left side to about the middle. A hissing could be heard from the engine. "You guys are going to be piling coal into these babies. You see this dial right here? You want the needle to be right in the middle. Too far left and the engine isn't putting out enough power to get the ship moving." He created a flame in his hands. "Too far right," He fired the flame into the engine. It lit up in a massive blaze that illuminated his shadow. "And you might make the whole thing blow."

The five boys were silent and horrified. What had they gotten themselves into?  
"What are you doing standing around? Pair up and get to work!" He pointed at Zarai. "You're with me."

They all scrambled to get to work. Iroh ended up working with Nile at the third engine while Lee and the other recruit, whose name was Radi, worked on the second.

It turned out to be much worse than Mylo had described. Iroh would use one of the shovels to carry a small pile of coal from the huge pile of coal to the engine and dump it in. It would get hotter and the needle on the dial would scoot to the right a bit. When it started getting dangerously close to the right they were supposed to move the lever to the left for a minute. Apparently this cooled the engine down somehow.

Iroh and the others were soaked with sweat within five minutes and completely exhausted within thirty. They weren't allowed to have water in the engine room because it would just evaporate and Captain Lou Sai hated being wasteful. It broke Iroh's heart when he remembered that they still several hours to go and no breaks.

The head engineer had amazing eyesight and an appalling lack of mercy. He always seemed to know if someone slowed down even the slightest bit, and wasn't shy about calling them out on it. Iroh had a feeling that the engineer would have gotten along well with Fire Lord Azulon.

At noon the engineer announced that he was going to lunch. Unfortunately, they wouldn't be going with him. "Don't be thinking that just because I'll be gone I won't know if you aren't working. The ship had better maintain its speed or else you will all be back here tomorrow." He laughed evilly as he left.

As soon as he was gone Zarai dropped his shovel. He glared at Iroh like a predator. Sensing something was about to go down, Lee and Radi dropped their shovels too.

"Hey!" Nile shouted at the others. "What do you think you're doing? If you don't keep working we are gonna have to do this tomorrow."

"Very true, Nile." Zarai said with a knowing smile. "That's why you are going to work extra hard to make sure all three engines remain in top shape."

Nile's jaw dropped. What Zarai had just proposed was a ridiculous amount of work, especially to someone already exhausted.

"Iroh meanwhile, is going to be too busy to help." Zarai said, his grin growing wider. "See, I found the fact that you would help this loser commendable. I respected that. Hut you made a huge mistake when you tried to Firebend at me. I didn't like that. Not at all." He nodded at the other two. "Get him."

Iroh dropped the shovel and jumped to the side as Lee and Radi attacked him. Two on one was bad odds, and they probably had martial arts teachers. The only thing that he could hope for was that they might be just as exhausted as he was.

Nile noticed that all three engines were getting dangerously low. He desperately tried to heat them up again. If the engines got too low they were all done for.

Iroh grabbed a couple of pieces of coal and threw them at his opponents. One missed, but the other hit Lee in the face, blinding him for a moment. Iroh struck accurately and swiftly, kicking Radi in the soft flesh of his stomach. The boy dropped, and Iroh figured he was out of the fight for now.

Lee struck angrily, catching Iroh in the side of the head with a forearm. They struck and blocked for a few moments, each boy taking several hits. Iroh finally brought Lee down by getting behind him and kicking in the back of the knee. Lee sunk like a rock. Iroh kneed him in the stomach just to make sure he would stay down.

Iroh turned to face his final opponent. Zarai glanced down at his fallen friends and nodded slightly. Iroh realized all Zarai had wanted to do was weaken him and study his battle prowess. As much as he had come to dislike the other boy Iroh had to respect his intelligence. Zarai had the kind of strategic mind the Fire Nation needed.

Zarai moved without warning, as fast an opponent as Iroh had ever faced. His fist flew at Iroh's face at a blinding speed. Iroh brought up his arms to block. Zarai suddenly froze and his hand opened. Fire flew out in a deadly, crimson dance.

Iroh realized it was the same attack Ozai had used on him a couple of days ago. Iroh blocked Zarai's Firebending with his own. Zarai wasn't expecting such a quick counter attack and was blown back. Even so, Zarai was able to turn it into a backwards roll so that he landed on his feet.

Zarai snarled and fired a barrage of flames at Iroh. Despite being a prodigy in his own right Iroh was overwhelmed and knocked to the ground. Zarai smiled in victory. "You chose wrong, Iroh. I told you that you should have joined us." He walked forward confidently.  
Iroh didn't know what Zarai was planning but he wasn't about to let it happen. He saw a shovel within reach and grabbed it. Before Zarai could dodge Iroh threw it and it connected with his shin. Zarai cried out in pain. "You little bitch! You're going to pay for that!"

Zarai took a deep breath and something strange happened. Lightning, little blue sparks of electricity, circulated over one of Zarai's hands. Iroh had no idea how he was doing it and had no idea how to stop him. Suddenly he stopped and dropped to the ground, unconscious. Nile was standing behind him, a piece of coal in his hand. "I've been wanting to do that for a while."

Nile helped Iroh up to his feet. All of the injuries Iroh had suffered decided to make themselves known. He grimaced with pain.

Lee was halfway through getting up, but he didn't look like he wanted to fight. He watched them warily, unsure if they would attack or not.

"Hey Lee." Nile said. "If those engines aren't kept hot the engineer isn't going to be very happy with you. I think you should get to work. Come on, Iroh. We're leaving."

Iroh was surprised. "But that means we will probably have to do it again tomorrow."

Nile shrugged. "So be it. At least they won't be here tomorrow. By the way, just know that this still doesn't change anything." His grin said otherwise.

Iroh smiled back. "Of course, Nile. I didn't think I would win you over this easy."

**Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it. You know what else I appreciate? Favorites, follows and reviews! If you liked the story go ahead and handle that stuff, thank you. You should also check out my other story, Revenge of the Red Lotus. It's set right as Legend of Korra ends and, as the name implies, the Red Lotus have returned. I can't really reveal any more than that, so you will have to check for yourselves. I also wanted to ask you guys: are the characters I created good? Mylo, Nile, Zarai, and the rest? Please let me know in the reviews. And don't forget to come to the dark side(we have cookies!)**

** -Darthlane**


	7. Chapter 7- Late Night Attack

**Sorry for the long hiatus guys! I just had spring break and was stuck at home away from the school's computers so I couldn't post any new chapters. I am proud to announce that I have a new story in the works for Gravity Falls that I am really excited about. I hope you guys check it out when I post it. Keep your eyes open for it. I would also like to ask you guys to check out the other story I'm working on called "Revenge of the Red Lotus". It's a Legend of Korra story so a lot of you guys should be familiar. Also, a friend of mine, known on here as The Solo Gamer, has some great stories you should check out sometime. He is a great writer and I think you guys would like his works. But that's enough promotion. Enjoy the chapter!**

**-Darthlane**

Chapter 7

Exhausted and beaten, Iroh and Nile limped their way through the halls of the metal Fire Nation ship. "So are you really happy to be doing this again tomorrow, or were you just trying to look tough back there?" Iroh asked.

"I was definitely bluffing." Nile said with a grimace. "I don't ever want to go back. I feel like hell after only half a day of this. Imagine how it's gonna be when we have to do this tomorrow."

Iroh groaned. He silently cursed himself for not thinking ahead. He hadn't been doing a lot of that lately. If they had just stayed and stuck it out for the rest of the day they would have been free tomorrow, but now they had to return and they would also probably be punished.

"Look at the bright side." Iroh said. "Lee is working those engines all alone until the other two wake up."

Nile laughed. "Now I kind of wish we had stayed to watch. I know it sounds bad to say it, but I do admit I want to watch that creep struggle."

"Yeah, he was a dick." Iroh added. "Hopefully they'll leave us alone now."

Nile chuckled ruefully. "It's not that easy, Iroh. See, guys like them, they aren't going to let it go. You saw what happened after you ticked off Zarai the first time. They surrounded you, and tried to beat the living hell out of you. But we escaped. And now that you've embarrassed him for real he is going to go at you with everything he's got. Which, unfortunately, is more than you have. If he fights you I think he might win. He's really powerful. Also, I won't be able to help. If he tries to bring in a bunch of other guys I'm not gonna be able to stop them."

"So what you're saying is that I am screwed?" Iroh asked as they turned a corner.

"No." Nile answered. "What I'm saying is that you need to be smart. You need to be careful. Keep a sharp eye on all of them, and be scared."

"Scared?" Iroh scoffed. "When has being scared helped anybody?"

Nile shrugged. "A lot of people think fear is bad, but it really isn't. It's a warning that something bad is coming, and its usually right. I don't know about you, but when something bad is coming I like having a warning first. It gives you a little bit of time to think, to prepare yourself. You're gonna want it going up against them. Being scared might give you the edge that being confident wouldn't."

Iroh was surprised to hear that. He didn't see Nile as the philosophical type. Especially about something like fear, and how it could actually help. Iroh would have to make sure not to underestimate him again.

They ended up going separate directions back to their rooms. Iroh waved goodbye before Nile was out of sight. Nile just nodded and dissapeared. Now alone, Iroh gave into his weakness and leaned against a wall. That work had really taken it out of him. He limped a bit more slowly back to his room. Once inside, he plopped down on his bed and drifted off to sleep.

He woke up groggily. Someone was shaking him violently, and it really hurt his sore shoulder. "Finally you're up. I've been doing this for over a minute. How have you not woken up yet? You were out like a log." Iroh realized that it was Mylo.

"G'morning." Iroh muttered. He slowly pulled himself up to a sitting position and rubbed his eyes.

"Morning? It's not morning Iroh!" Mylo informed him. "It's almost night." He looked out their small window. "Yeah, it's practically night. You missed dinner."

"No!" Iroh whimpered. His stomach hurt even worse than his muscles right now.

"We were wondering why you never showed up. Nile was there and he told us everything. We heard about what you had to do, and the fight and everything. That's rough, buddy."

"Almost as rough as missing out on dinner." Iroh added sourly. "Here I was hoping I'd be fat when I get older, but I keep missing all my meals. Hey! Can we sneak some food out of the kitchen like we did before?"

"If I remember it correctly, you promised me you would try to teach me Firebending in. We're going to practice a little before you get your food."

Iroh groaned. "But I'm starving, Mylo. Can't it wait until after I have some dinner?"

"You promised you would start teaching me yesterday, but you didn't." Mylo argued. "But I let it slide because you had a lot to worry about. But I'm not going to let this wait too long, before you conveniently forget about it. You are going to teach me."

"Of course I will." Iroh promised. "I was always intending to keep my side of the deal. But do I have to do while I'm hungry?"

Mylo smiled, amused. "Yes you do. Now teach me."

Iroh sighed. How was he even going to do this? Would Mylo only accept results? Or would he accept trying as enough? Odds are, Mylo would not be able to Firebend, no matter how hard they tried. What then?

"Okay. I want you to close your eyes." Iroh ordered. "Take deep breaths. Look within yourself. Find your heartbeat. Find your breath. Find your blood flow. Have you found them?"

"Yes." Mylo answered, eyes closed and breathing deeply. "I found them."

"Now I want you to really feel them. Feel your heartbeat. Feel your breath. Feel your blood. Feel them all together, beating and pulsing in rhythm. Really experience them. Are you doing that?"

"Yeah, I feel them. But not any fire yet."

"This is just the first part. Meditation. It gets you ready. Okay, I want you to keep breathing deeply. Now I want you to look deeper than you did before. This time I want you to find your energy. Find your inner energy. Your Chi. That is where the fire will come from. Have you found it?"

"I-i think so. How do I know for sure?"

"You'll know. Just keep trying."

After a moment Mylo said, "I think I've found it."

"Good, good. Now I also want you to find your will, your desires, your ambitions, your passion. They will help you guide your energy so that it can become flame. Try to guide your energy. Guide it to your hands, your fingertips, and then," Iroh demonstrated by producing a small flame, "out."

Mylo spent nearly a minute just standing there willing something to happen. Finally he gave up. "What did I do wrong? Why didn't I do any Firebending?"

"It's okay, Mylo. So what if it didn't work? It will eventually if you keep trying." Iroh felt it was better not to crush Mylo's feelings by telling him the realistic reason it wasn't working.

"Yeah. I guess so." After trying for about another half hour Mylo finally gave up. "Too bad it didn't work. Well I guess we had better get you some food."

They snuck down to the kitchen and stole a frozen steak and some fruit. Iroh was able to snack on the fruit while he waited for the steak to defrost. "I'm sorry it didn't work, Mylo." He said as he ate.

Mylo shrugged. "It wasn't supposed to work anyway. Thanks for trying."

They didn't talk as they returned to their room. They silently put out the candle and went to bed. Before he went to sleep again, Iroh mused that it had been a pretty dissapointing day for everyone involved. Mylo hadn't been able to Firebend, Nile and himself had almost been brutally beaten by Zarai and his goons, and even Zarai had failed and had been embarrassed. There weren't really any winners. Iroh just hoped tomorrow might be better.

The next morning they made their way to breakfast. Iroh made sure keep a close eye on Zarai and the rest as he ate, wary that they would try something in revenge. Thankfully they did nothing besides glare at Iroh's table and talk in hushed voices. Nile and Iroh were able to go to their horrible task freely, but it still didn't feel like much of a win.

When they arrived there was a group of six engineers waiting for their job to start. The one that they had met yesterday was nowhere to be seen. Iroh asked one of the engineers about it.

"The boss is getting his break now. He put me in charge today, and we get you as part of our happy little family." Like the engineer from the other day, he was incredibly fit and large, but he was also surprisingly cheerful. "Just do as you're told and there shouldn't be any problems. Let's get movin', boys!" He called out, and the group got to work fueling the ship.

It was still just as hard as the day before, but it was somehow more bearable. Without Zarai and his friends around it didn't seem quite as bad.

When they eventually finished Iroh felt more tired than he had ever felt in his life. He felt a lot of sympathy for the engineers. He couldn't even begin to imagine doing this every day forThe rest of his life. It seemed insane.

Dinner passed, and still Zarai and his friends did not act. Iroh didn't know if he should feel suspicious or relieved by this. He wasn't quite ready to relax, however. After dinner Iroh tried to help Mylo with Firebending again, but they had the same results as the night before. They went to bed distraught.

The next day Iroh and Nile were able to return to normal duties. Iroh was ecstatic to be cleaning again instead of working the engines again like he had been doing the previous two days. It was definitely a pleasant change of pace.

Everything was going fine until Iroh had finished cleaning a crewman's room and emerged to find Zarai mopping the hallway. Iroh tried to go back into the room before Zarai saw him but it was too late. The other Fire Nation Army recruit looked at his rival, surprise and amusement evident on his face.

Iroh realized that the two of them were alone. If Zarai chose to take his revenge now, there was no one to stop him and Iroh wasn't sure he would win if it came down to it. Zarai was a lot more rested, having a day of relative rest since he had worked in the engines, not to mention that he wanted to win much more than Iroh did. Iroh prepared for the worst. He didn't want it to turn into a fight, but he had to be ready if he did.

But to his surprise Zarai just shrugged and kept mopping. Iroh held his breath as Zarai mopped right by him and down the rest of the hallway, before dissapearing around a corner. Iroh let out his breath. Had Zarai really just walked right by? But he had wanted revenge, right? Had what Nile told Iroh just been paranoid chatter? His gut told him no, that Zarai was still after him. But he couldn't deny what had just happened. Zarai had the chance, but didn't take it. There had to be a reason, but Iroh had no ideas what it was.

At dinner Iroh watched Zarai like a hawk, but he and the others didn't even look his way. They just kept on talking and laughing, as normal as they could be. Nile noticed him watching them. "Did they mess with you?" He asked.

"No." Iroh answered. "They haven't tried anything yet. That's what worries me."

As they were leaving Iroh noticed that the captain was watching him closely. Iroh pretended to ignore it. The captain might just be keeping an eye on him because he was the Prince. Yeah, that must be it.

Later, Iroh was trying to get Mylo to Firebend for the third straight night. Like the past two nights it wasn't going very well.

"Just find your inner heat, your fire." Iroh coached. "Find it and grab it."

"I'm not finding anything!" Mylo said heatedly. "I'm starting to think I don't even have a fire!"

"It's your energy." Iroh said patiently. "You definitely have some energy in you. Everyone does. It's just a matter of whether you can get a hold of it and then guide it out."

"I'm starting to think that I'm not ever going to get a hold of it." Mylo said darkly.

"Just keep trying. It's always hard to get it the first time."

Mylo sighed and tried to concentrate once again. He gave up after another minute. "Arrgh! Why can't I get this?"

"Okay. Let's try it a different way." Iroh said. He got up from his seat on Mylo's bed. He got set into a stance and started moving his arms around in a slow circle that brought both his hands directly in front of him. It was a basic attack move he had been drilling since he was young. "See what I'm doing? This is an actual Firebending technique. Try doing what I'm doing." He repeated the move over again so Mylo could get the hang of it. Soon they were both doing the move again and again, mirroring the technique. "Now try to push your energy into your hand as you move, and out of your hand when you finish. That's good, keep trying."

After a moment, Mylo said, "I think I feel something. Yeah I definitely feel something." Mylo suddenly sounded much more excited. "I feel it! I think I'm finally gonna Firebend!"

Iroh was almost as surprised as his friend. It would be a miracle if Mylo actually awakened the ability to Firebend so late, and it looked like that miracle might just be realized.

"Now take that energy you feel and push it into your hand." Iroh ordered. He stopped to watch, keeping a close eye on Mylo's hand. Mylo kept trying, looking as determined as he ever had. After several tries a small bright spark came out, quickly followed by a trail of smoke.

Mylo jumped up and down excitedly. "Did you see that?" He shouted. "I did it! I finally did it! I'm a Firebender!"

A voice down the hall shouted. "Shut the hell up! Go to bed already!"

Iroh and Mylo glanced at each other. "I guess we should go ahead and go to bed." Iroh said quietly. "We can try practicing some more tomorrow. The important thing is we know you can do it now. Congradulations."

Iroh fell asleep feeling happy for the first time in days. Today had gone well and he felt that he was getting the hang of life on this Fire Navy ship. That combined with Mylo's success at Firebending had made today a rather good day. Maybe that's what made it so shocking when he was woken up by a hand over his mouth and several others dragging him out of his bed. He tried to scream as he was pulled over the railing but it was muffled by the hand over his mouth. He landed with a crash onto the floor where the hands dragged him into a kneeling position.

He quickly realized that the people that had grabbed him were teenagers. The other recruits, obviously. Mylo was similarly constrained next to Iroh. Standing in front of them, illuminated by the moonlight in the window, was none other than Zarai.

"I told you before didn't I? I don't like it when people use Firebending against me. But that's not what I'm mad about. I'm mad that when I tried to punish you for it, you got away. I had you beat. I know it, you know it, everybody here knows it. But Nile stepped in the way and saved your sorry ass. I'll get to him soon enough, though. Now it's time to deal with you, and he won't be able to save you this time."

He started pacing the room. "So I started thinking to myself, 'Is beating him up really the best way to hurt him? I think there might be some better way.' I started thinking, trying to remember something from when we were kids. Did I forget to mention that, boys? Iroh and I used to know each other as kids! Small world, huh? See, my dad is an important weapons trader, one of the most important in the entire Fire Nation. And who else would buy from him than the guy that actually has the armies that use them: Iroh's dad, the Fire Lord. Yep, Iroh is none other than our freaking Prince."

The other boys laughed. Mylo let out a squeak of astonishment. He looked at Iroh as though he had become something untouchable. Iroh actually thought that that was worse than everything else that was happening.

"Do you know what I remembered the most, out of everything in our childhood? I remembered how much you always cared about Ozai. You paid so much attention to that boy, always making sure he was happy and safe. You are the kind of guy who cares about people. That means that to hurt you the most I don't need to hurt you." He made a point of looking right at Mylo. "I need to hurt who you care about the most. I'm going to enjoy this, Iroh."

He turned to whoever was holding Iroh. "Make sure he doesn't break free. He is going to struggle like mad." Without waiting for an answer he turned back to Mylo. He motioned for the guys holding Mylo to bring their captive to his feet. As soon as Mylo was standing Zarai punched him on the stomach. Mylo doubled over, coughing. The blow had winded him, and he tried to drop back to his knees to get his breath. The guys holding him wouldn't let him drop back down. Iroh struggled against the guys holding him, but he couldn't break free to help his friend. Zarai punched Mylo again, this time in the face. Then again. And again and again and again.

The attacks didn't stop, and soon Mylo looked like a mess. Zarai just continued to brutally beat on Mylo. He didn't care about the damage he was causing, just that it got a reaction out of his chosen audience. After what seemed like forever Zarai finally held up a hand. The goons dropped Mylo.

"Iroh, I hope you've paid attention to what happened here." The group began making their way to the door and emptying into the halls. "That's what happens when you mess with me. I don't care if you are a little two-bit shit from a backwater village, or even the Fire Nation Prince himself. I don't mess around, and I won't be beaten even by likes of you. Never forget that. Now I consider our little problem solved. I hope you choose to keep it that way. Have a good night, Iroh." With that said he left.

Iroh got off the floor and sat Mylo up against the bedpost. His friend moaned weakly. Mylo looked terrible, like a piece of fruit that had been ruined in a game of catch.

Iroh grabbed a bucket and left for the bathroom, where he filled it with water. He knew the first step to managing injuries was to clean any wounds. He returned and used a rag to wipe away the blood. As he did this Mylo muttered, "So you were the Prince the whole time. I should have guessed. All the clues were pointing to it, I just didn't put it together."

"Don't worry about that now." Iroh said as he cleared away enough blood to reveal a very nasty bruise. "I'm still the same person I was before you found out."

"Are you?" Mylo asked. "The Iroh I thought I knew wouldn't have kept secrets from me. Can I still trust you? You lied to me when I thought you never would."

"I was going to tell you, I just wanted to be sure I could trust you." Iroh explained. "I'm sorry. It's just not something I wanted to throw around."

"Don't worry about it, Iroh. I can't stay mad at you. I mean, you're only the reason I got the crap beat out of me. Nothing big." He let out a chuckle that quickly turned to labored coughing

Iroh laughed lightly. If Mylo was capable of sarcasm he was probably going to be alright in no time. At least, he hoped so.

"I guess it's lucky for you that I have secrets of my own." Mylo let the statement hang in the air, daring Iroh to ask about it. Iroh decided that Mylo would tell him when he was ready to, so he just ignored it.

"Okay Mylo, I need you to take your shirt off. I need to clean off the blood."

"Uh no, I'm not going to take it off." Mylo answered quietly. He tried to shift away from Iroh.

Iroh was surprised. "Quit messing around. Take it off so I can finish cleaning you up. I know you have some bruises, maybe more on your chest. He hit you there a few times, I saw."

"I can't!" Mylo barked back. He looked flustered.

"Then humor me." Iroh replied. "Why not?"

"I just can't. You wouldn't understand."

"Dude, if this is about you being shy or something, don't worry about it. I'm not going to judge. I've seen plenty of shirtless guys at the Ember Island Beach. Its not that big a deal to me."

"Well, that's kind of the problem." Mylo said shyly. "I'm not a guy. I'm a girl."

**And that's a wrap! Let me know what you guys thought in the reviews and be sure to favorite and follow! Until next time!**

** -Darthlane**


	8. Chapter 8- Mylo's Secret

**Hola mi amigos! Welcome to another chapter of Dragon of the West! I hope you've enjoyed the story so far, because it is only going to get better. How'd you guys like that plot twist at the end of the last chapter? I had been planning it ever since I started thinking up Iroh's companions for the trip, so that moment was very satisfying to finally write. Now we get to see the fallout of that revelation, so make haste to the story. Enjoy!**

Chapter 8

They were both silent for a moment, staring at each other. Iroh finally broke the silence by asking, "What? You're joking, right?"

"No." Mylo said with a sigh. "I'm completely serious, Iroh. I am a girl, always have been."

Iroh couldn't really believe it. It was impossible for Mylo to have been able to have kept up a charade like that for so long. He had to be joking.

"That's funny, Mylo." Iroh said with a chuckle. "Anything to keep from lifting your shirt, huh? I understand that you're shy. You don't have to worry."

"No." Mylo said, flustered. "I'm not kidding. I really am a girl. As in female. The opposite gender. I. Am. A girl. Don't ask me to prove it."

He was serious? He- no, she- actually was a girl? That couldn't possibly be right.  
"Wait, wait, wait." Iroh said, confused. "You really are a girl? But how? How could you have kept up pretending to be a boy this long? And why?"

Mylo closed his eyes for a moment in thought. "It's a little hard to explain, Iroh. But first I need to be sure you won't tell anyone. Ever. Swear on it."

"Of course. I won't tell anyone, Mylo. Not in a million years. I swear."

Mylo still looked worried. "And you won't ever tell anyone?"

"I promise." Iroh said with a slight smile. "Hey, you know my secret. If yours ever gets out, you can spill mine to everybody you know."

Mylo shrugged. "That's true. Okay, I already told you about my village and how I grew up. It was a very poor fishing village, and my family was really poor. My dad died a few years ago in the war. He fought bravely defending his comrades. Since then, I've watched the recruiters come and go, taking all the young men to fight in the war against the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom. This year, my older brother was supposed to join the army, but he hurt his leg really bad about a year ago. It never really healed right. I couldn't let him come here. He would have been killed. And I couldn't let him die, not after-" Mylo let her voice drift away. After a pause she continued. "So I took his place. He didn't want me to go, but I wouldn't listen to him. I was scared he would convince me he had to go. I took his uniform and cut my hair and snuck away in the night. I told them that I was Mylo so that he wouldn't have to go. They took me on this ship and here I am."

"When they saw what condition he was in wouldn't they have sent him back? You didn't have to go anywhere." Iroh asked. He doubted that the Army would accept a crippled boy into their midst. It was just bad business.

Mylo chuckled darkly. "You don't know anything, do you? Nah, I don't see how you would, seeing as you're the Prince and all. You only see the pretty side of your troops. All the fancy uniforms, big ships, and bigger numbers. You don't see the messed up things they do to the people of the Earth Kingdom or even some of the places here. They beat the old, take the woman, and do whatever they please. They would have had no problem taking a crippled guy with them just for the entertainment. They would have enjoyed watching him struggle. They might have even enjoyed watching him die. That's just what they are like."

"I can't believe it... What you did, that was incredibly brave. Taking your brother's place, coming here despite everything that could happen." Iroh didn't want to say out loud the thought that had occurred to him. He realized what might happen if someone discovered that Mylo was actually a girl. These were soldiers after all. In reality she was taking much bigger risk than her brother ever might.

"It wasn't that brave." Mylo said modestly. "Remember how I told you I wanted to be a Firebender? Completely true. I have been dreaming of being a soldier since I was a little kid. I always wanted to be like Dad..." Mylo's voice drifted off for a moment. "Then she said, "That's why I wouldn't take it all back. Not even what Zarai just did could make me take it back. Because this was always my dream, to become a soldier. To defend the weak against people like the Earth Kingdom, and to make the military pure again from the inside."

"You wouldn't take it back?" Iroh asked. "Even considering what happened with Zarai and his thug friends?"

Mylo smiled weakly. "I knew something like that was bound to happen. For someone my size it's inevitable. I actually thought it would be worse, so that's a plus. Besides, I found some good friends and discovered that I can be a Firebender one day. I wouldn't want to ever take that back. Believe me, I'm living my dream."

"That's good to know. But I'm still going to try to find a way to get back at Zarai. He has no right to mess with you." His eyes narrowed. "And he has no idea who he just messed with."

"Nice." Mylo said with an approving nod. "That's the Iroh I know. But before you go Kyoshi on him, help me to the bathroom. I still need to get cleaned up."

Iroh helped Mylo to his -her- feet and put her arm around his shoulder. He led them out the door and to the bathroom a little ways down the hall. Mylo entered, leaning on the walls.

"If you need me for anything just say so." Iroh said. "I'll be right out here until you're done." He waited pressed against the wall in the dark hallway. He tried to process what he had just learned. How could Mylo be a girl? Yeah, it was more likely than Nile or Zarai, but it was still very unexpected for Iroh. He could understand how she had pulled it off physically- her small size and lack of development in the areas some girls tended to have led to her having a boyish look- but he was amazed that she had been able to keep up the charade mentally. Iroh had never noticed anything peculiar or overly unusual about Mylo's behavior. She had blended in incredibly well, acting as most boys did.

Iroh's mind turned to his more pressing mind candy. Zarai had waited patiently, letting Iroh drop his guard for a counter attack. As he waited he had examined his target and figured out his weaknesses. Zarai was smart, smart and perceptive. One of the toughest opponents, both mentally and physically, that Iroh had ever seen. Iroh knew he couldn't back down to a guy like him, because if he did Zarai and the others like him would continue to bully their way into places of authority. Places that were in Iroh's Nation, his future power structure. Iroh knew for sure he didn't want Zarai or anyone like him in charge of his troops. He had to stop this problem now, while it was still in its infancy.

Mylo emerged looking a lot cleaner. Now Iroh could see the subtle signs of Mylo's feminism, the small things Iroh's mind had just passed over before he had known. He could see the small things, like the eyelashes and lips, the shoulder frame and even the way she carried herself as she walked. It was only slightly noticeable that this was a person that wasn't used to wearing boots.

As they got back to their room, Mylo said, "I'm serious about not telling anyone, Iroh. You can't say a word. Not even to Satsudi and Nile."

"Relax." Iroh said reassuringly. "My lips are sealed."

"In fact, you should try to think of me as a guy as much as possible. Try to pretend you didn't learn anything. Use 'he' and words like that in your mind. Just to be safe."

Iroh shrugged as he climbed up through the darkness to his bed. "Whatever you say." He glanced out the window to see the moon's position. He should still be able to get a couple of hours of sleep.

After a few minutes of silence, Iroh asked, "Hey Mylo. What's your real name?" Part of him didn't expect an answer. Mylo might be asleep, or she -he, Iroh forced himself to think he- might not be ready to answer.

At almost an inaudible whisper, Iroh heard the name, "Nya."

Satisfied, Iroh muttered down a quick, "Thank you. Good Night." He set himself to relaxing his mind so he could go to sleep. Right before he drifted off he had a sudden, funny thought. His mother would completely flip if she knew he was sleeping in the same room as a girl.

For the second time that night Iroh fell asleep with a smile. This time, however, he would wake up the same way.

**That's all folks! Sorry this chapter was so short, the senioritis was strong in this one and I have also been working on another project. I'm sure many of you have been disappointed by the lack of romance in my story so far, and it's showed in the very slow development of fans. (cries softly). I have kept out of the romance department so far, but like the perfume department in Spongebob there is no way to avoid it. I'm going to try to keep that aspect slow so that it seems more real and natural. I ask for forgiveness beforehand because romance isn't really my forte (I like plot and character a bit more) so it will probably suck. Anyway, you should check out my other story Revenge of the Red Lotus and I will be releasing the project I mentioned before very soon. While you are waiting for that, check out my friend Solo Gamer's works. And don't forget to favorite, follow and review! Darthlane commands you!**


	9. Chapter 9- Azulon's Plan

**Welcome back for another chapter of Dragon of the West! We are going to be taking a short break from Iroh for now, and concentrate on what has been happening with his family back in the Fire Nation. We will see the beginning of Ozai's corruption into the monster he became as an adult, and we will see a key moment in the history of the Fire Nation. Read to find out what will happen!**

Chapter 9

Ozai pulled away from his mother's grip. "I'm not a baby anymore, Mom! I can walk by myself." He was tired of being treated like he was still a little kid. Why couldn't she understand that he was growing up?

Ilah looked on with disapproving eyes. "You may be the Fire Lord's child, but even you must obey your mother." She reaffirmed her grip on his wrist and led him on. "Please don't make a poor display in front of your father's guests. It could ruin everything he's planned for today. Do you understand?"

Ozai just groaned. He really didn't want to show up to his dad's stupid speech. He had always hated stuff like that, and he hated it even more now that Iroh was gone. Ever since then he had hated his life. His schoolwork had tripled, he was getting private lessons from his dad now, and worst of all, Iroh had left him all alone.  
What had that good for nothing excuse for a brother been thinking? Leaving for the army like he didn't have any care in the world... Ozai would never have betrayed his brother like that.

"Your brother and I agreed that he lacked the strength and decisiveness required to lead a Nation." Azulon had told him the day after the funeral. "So he decided to go train incognito with his future troops to gain the vital skills he needed."

Ozai hadn't bought that right away. His brother had never been impulsive enough to leave at a moment's notice like that. He would have considered it for a while and thought about every single detail. Slow and careful, that was Iroh's way. At the very least he would have told Ozai before he left.

But the more his dad explained and elaborated on the decision the more it made sense. Iroh was a good guy, and wanted to be a just and kind ruler. But he couldn't be effective without power. And he had gone on his journey to get the power and leadership qualities needed to rule a nation. It made sense to Ozai.

"I made a mistake with Iroh." His father had said. "I gave him too much freedom, and he became soft. I neglected my duties to make him a man. But I promise to do right by you, Ozai. You will become the man you are destined to be, my son."

Ever since Azulon had been teaching Ozai new techniques. It was high level stuff- the kind of things Iroh would have waited years to teach, and that was if he even knew them. Ozai now knew that Iroh wasn't even that powerful, at least not compared to their father. Ozai's dad, Azulon the Fire Lord, was incredible, both fighting hand to hand and with Firebending. It had only been a few days, but Ozai was already learning at an amazing rate. His dad said he was a prodigy, like his father, and his grandfather, and all of his forefathers.

"Royal blood flows in your veins, Ozai. It makes us stronger than others, makes us better. One day you and Iroh will be like me, will be like your grandfather Sozin. Powerful, more powerful than anyone else in the world. We hold the lives of millions in our hands, and they are ours to do with as we please. That is true power. And that is what it means to be one of us, one of the Royal Family."

Ozai had protested. "But Iroh said that-"

"Iroh is weak." His father interrupted. "He is not strong like I am, like you will soon be. He is timid, and too scared of the consequences to really imagine the possibilities of what we could do. He doesn't know how to rule, and I fear he never will, no matter how much military training he goes through. That is why I am blessed to have you- my second chance. Should Iroh fail to-" Azulon stopped himself. "No. You are not ready yet. I will make your path clear soon, but not yet. For now, let us begin your real training."

That was about as much explanation as Ozai got from his father about his future and Iroh's fate. He just hoped his brother was doing alright with his new military buddies. Not that he deserved it.

"Through here." His mother said, yanking him both by the wrist and out of his thoughts. They walked through a guarded ornate red door. It was the entrance to the local barracks, one of the largest in the Fire Nation.

They walked into a massive room built to hold the entire local forces if needed. Inside was a large crowd of troops assembled for the Fire Lord's speech. He had graced these men by showing up personally to deliver something that he had said, "Would change the war and shake up the old ways to make way for the new."  
They all sat in orderly rows, quietly chatting before their great and glorious leader arrived. Ilah and Ozai took their places on the mats on either side of the largest mat. They were set at a higher level than the soldiers allowing them to look down at their subjects. Many of the soldiers looked up in wonder and pointed at the two royals. Naturally, most had never seen any of the family that ruled over them all, so Ozai and Ilah were celebrities.

"How undisciplined." Ilah muttered with contempt towards the soldiers. "I must put in a word to have these men receive proper training, because they are obviously lagging."

Ozai took a seat on the mat to the left of the massive white mat that would hold his father. With a pang he remembered that this was where his brother Iroh would usually sit. Now, with Iroh gone, it was his to take. Despite the upgrade, Ozai didn't feel any better.

He glanced around and noticed that there were a large number of generals and other ranking officers. Azulon would have a much larger and dignified audience than he had planned. That is, Ozai considered, unless he did plan on it. It would be just like his father to want the important people to sneak in and see what he had to say. Especially if his message was as big and impactful as he had said it would be. The more Ozai thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Azulon wanted these people here.

Azulon then arrived, under heavy escort from his various servants and guards. Even from the distance of his seat to the door, Ozai could see the fire in his father's eyes. He had something he wanted to say and he would stop at nothing to say it. Ozai could only hope the audience was ready, because he knew they were in for the speech of their lives.

Everyone bowed before their Lord. He made his way slowly to his seat, eyeing every one of his subjects. He took his place on the enormous mat next to Ozai. He called out, "You may rise." Everyone returned to their previous position, every eye on Azulon.

Slowly, he spoke. "My people, my friends, I have come to a decision. It has plagued me for a long time, what I am about to speak of. Many, many years ago, in the infancy of his reign as Lord of the Nation of Fire, my father Sozin was preoccupied with ideas. They were remarkable ideas, truly revolutionary. See, my father was a well-traveled man, even as a teen. He had seen much of the world. He had friends in the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, and even the reclusive Air Nomads. He had seen these far away and diverse places, and he came to a conclusion after his travels. These people were not the equal to the Fire Nation. They were inferior in numerous ways, and it pained him to see his friends and neighbors living like savages. He truly cared, you see. He wanted to help these people. Sozin was a great, great man."

He paused, as if waiting for someone to argue against his words. No one did, of course. That would certainly be their last mistake. No one could argue with the most powerful man in the world and escape with their life.

"Sozin," Azulon continued, "knew he had to help these poor souls. He had the power to help, and he could not resist helping others. It was simply his nature to help where he could. He surmised that spreading the superior culture and state of living the Fire Nation enjoyed would turn them from their simple lives to the greatness that we enjoyed and continue to enjoy today. He knew that the Earth Kingdom, as the largest of the three, would need the most work so he began his great work there. He came to them with gifts, with blessings. He attempted to share the greatness of his people, our people. Initially the people of the Earth listened, but Sozin's actions drew the attention of the only person in the world that could rival him in power. Roku, Avatar of that time. As great as Roku was, he was petty. He saw Sozin's actions as a threat to his own power. He was jealous and scared. In fear, he threatened Sozin to end the good he was trying to do. Not wanting conflict with his one-time friend, Sozin backed off. He knew it was wrong to abandon those who needed his guidance, but Roku could be a very intimidating man."

Several boos from the soldiers woke Ozai from his entrancement in his father's story. He was surprised by how easy he had fallen into his father's smooth voice, lost in the story he weaved from thin air. The audience was similarly enthralled by Azulon's words. While Ilah had been annoyed by the slight rowdiness of the soldiers, the Fire Lord seemed amused by it. He was glad they were enthusiastic and involved in the telling of his story. He actually smiled slightly, something Ozai rarely saw his father do.

"Several years passed, and Sozin continued to leave his neighbors in their troubles, not wishing to ruin his friendship with Roku. But they were old men at the time, and death is merciless to those who have attained as many years as they had. Roku was dying, on his deathbed. He had one final wish before he met his time. All he wanted was to see his oldest and dearest friend one last time. So Sozin, desperate to give his friend any kindness he could while it was still possible, made haste to the island Roku called home. There, with his dying breaths, Avatar Roku said that he was sorry for what had occurred to them. He said he dearly regretted the rift he had created between them. He had realized that his friend had been right. He said that it was unjust to keep the greatness Sozin and the rest of the people of the Fire Nation possessed to themselves. He asked his friend to right the wrong, to help the other Nations when they needed it most. Tears in his eyes as his friend passed away, Sozin promised that he would do everything in his power to bring his dream, the dream of a peaceful and happy world, to reality."

He paused to catch his breath after speaking for so long. A servant brought him some water and he drank as he gazed out at his subjects. Everyone was silent, barely containing their anticipation of what he would say next.

"So Sozin planned. He planned out how he would share with the other three Nations while waiting for the new Avatar to appear. He knew that if he could find the Avatar and receive his goodwill then nothing would be impossible between the two of them. They could achieve everlasting peace and prosperity within Sozin's lifetime. But alas, the Avatar didn't appear. He still has not appeared. Sozin realized that he would have to move forward without him. He began by trying to bring the prosperity he had promised to Roku to the people of the Air Nomads. If you know little of their ways, don't be ashamed. They have always been secretive and paranoid of the other Nations they kept to themselves and shied away from the cultures of others. As such, little is known about the Nomads anymore. When Sozin tried to reconnect them back to the world from their far away hiding places they became fearful of his intentions. They attacked the peaceful Fire Nation ambassadors. The ambassadors, in defense, killed many of the savages that attacked them. Desperate, those poor people turned on each other in a feeble attempt to gain power over one other. Before long, the entire race was all but dead. It is one of the most tragic moments in all of history, and one my father regretted until his dying breath just a few days ago. All of those poor souls wasting their lives over nothing more than a misunderstanding. Is there anything as sad as that?"

There were a few quiet mutterings of agreement from the captivated soldiers. They would agree to practically anything the Fire Lord said at this point. They were putty in his hands.

"Sozin had more success with the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. They, like the Air Nomads, have mostly misunderstood our intentions, but we have made some progress with bringing them around." He cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, why do think I have told you this? As great and tragic a story it is, I have more than just entertainment in mind for telling you this. The reason is, I have thought long and hard about our great country in much the way my father did before me. I even came to a similar conclusion. I surmised that the people of our land were superior and enjoyed better lives than our neighbors to the east, north, and south. I felt great pride for our people but something felt... missing. I couldn't figure out why, so I began thinking and thinking. I mulled over this feeling for a long time, trying to figure out just why I felt this way. Eventually I found an answer. I realized that as great as we were, we could be better. We can prove ourselves better. We must go out and prove ourselves, especially you, the soldiers. But then I turned my mind to how. If we are the best of the human race, how do we prove ourselves further, to the heights I know we can reach? Honestly, the answer came surprisingly simply. I said to myself, 'The only way for a Fire Nation soldier to truly prove himself as a worthy warrior is to defeat the one warrior nature has provided that surpasses a human.' Men, I hereby issue the greatest challenge our Nation has ever seen: Do you think you can slay a dragon?"

There was an uproar from the crowd. It quieted down quickly as they remembered who had asked the question. Ozai was similarly shocked by his father's words. Slay a dragon? First of all, that would be next to impossible for practically any warrior. Dragons were notorious for not only being one of the fiercest and most dangerous creatures in the world, but just as cunning as the humans who attempted to befriend them. In addition to that, dragons also happened to be sacred to the Sages and to the spirits as the inventors of Firebending. It was unthinkable to attempt to attack one, and foolish to believe that you would have a chance. Even tossing up the idea to kill a dragon was incredibly bold and risky.

Azulon was unperturbed by the surprise his audience displayed. "That is my challenge, my children. Kill a dragon and become infamous. It will be difficult, and you will likely die in the attempt. But it can be done." He seemed as if he were about to add onto that, but held his words. He continued with what Ozai suspected were different words that he had planned a moment before. "Be a hero to your people. Leave your mark on history. Make no mistake, this is an invaluable opportunity. Use it wisely." He rose to his feet and marched away without even a glance back at the crowd he had just thrown into disarray. Ozai and Ilah quickly got up and followed, the servants and guards hot on their heels.

As Ozai followed the Fire Lord, he heard the hushed, excited whispers of the nearest troops. "I think he was serious." One guy said. "He actually wants us to kill dragons. Ha! Dragons. As if!" Another said, "You know, I think I might actually try it. If I succeed it would be an instant launching point for my career. This could save me so many years of work! I don't know if I can pass it up."

Wow, Ozai thought. They might actually do it. Despite the risks to their lives and the potential consequences it would have with the Sages and possibly life after death, these men were still considering it. They wanted to become whatever Azulon wanted them to be. They were willing to sacrifice everything they had, everything they were, and everything they could be just to have a mere ghost of a chance of pleasing him.

Ozai was impressed. He wanted power like that, the kind of power his father could bring to bear with mere words. But to gain that kind of power he would have to become Fire Lord. That was when people really listened. But he never would become Fire Lord as things stood now. Iroh was ahead of him in succession, and little could change that. He would always be on the outside of the job looking in.

Ozai sighed. It would have to be just a dream. Becoming Fire Lord would be next to impossible for him as long as Iroh was ahead of him in the line to the throne, and he would have to accept that. It's not like there was a way to remove Iroh from Ozai's path becoming the Fire Lord. Was there?

**Is Ozai beginning to go from innocent but violent kid to cunning psychopath? The seeds have been planted by Azulon for Ozai's corruption, as well as for the second genocide the Fire Nation will commit. But how will this impact Iroh and his friends on the Fire Navy ship? Don't worry, we will see them in the next chapter, I know you missed them! Don't forget to favorite, follow, and review. But most importantly, don't forget to turn to the dark side (we have cookies!).**

**-Darthlane**


	10. Chapter 10- Revenge

**Welcome back my friends! Its Darthlane again with another chapter of Dragon of the West! I can tell you're exited. Don't try to hide it; I can see you. Not really, but I'm still gonna try and imagine you're excitement haha. In all seriousness, we are back with Iroh after spending some time with Ozai seeing his slow corruption and Azulon's order to hunt dragons. As you can imagine, this will have huge implications later on for Iroh. But now we are back, and we can see how Iroh deals with the problems he has on the Fire Nation ship. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 10

**Lou Sai**

There was a knock at the door. Captain Lou Sai looked up from his work and sighed. He couldn't get anything done anymore. It seemed like his crew just kept getting less and less capable, always coming to get him for help. It was exhausting. Then again, he considered, maybe they weren't getting harder to deal with. Maybe he was just getting old. That might explain it.

He got up and opened the door. One of his soldiers was waiting on the other side. He saluted, with his other arm straight out. Perched on that arm was a messenger hawk. "This is for you, sir. It arrived just a moment ago."

Lou Sai nodded. "Good work, Mushu." He grabbed the hawk gently by the legs, and the bird was exchanged without any protest. They were trained to be completely used to things like that. Lou Sai carefully slid the paper out of the knot that held it to the hawk's leg. He gave the bird back to the soldier.

"Make sure you take care of that hawk." He told Mushu. "It did its job well."

Mushu nodded. "Of course, sir." He turned and walked away.

Lou Sai closed the door and opened the tied scroll. He quickly examined the contents. It was very unusual to receive mail on a moving ship because it was often difficult for the messenger hawks to find their destination on the open sea, so this letter had to be very important.

"Greetings... request... inform... trainees... maximum potential... list to us. Honor and glory to the Fire Nation, Taku Fire Nation Base." He chuckled. "So you want to hear from me who I think has potential, huh?" It was highly unusual to get something like this. It wasn't like there was a great need to know in advance what the kids were like- the trainers could mold any kid into a capable soldier. It could be that they actually had respect for Lou Sai's opinion of the kids. But he doubted it. If he had to guess, the commanders of the base had somehow found out that Prince Iroh was heading their way and wanted to know as much about him as they could. Lou Sai couldn't blame them; this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to gain a friend and ally out of their future ruler. This could be the saving grace to any officer that could get manage to get the young Prince in his pocket, or worse, his debt. Lou Sai had already stopped several members of his crew from trying to get involved in the boy's life. He firmly believed that Iroh needed to be unbiased to grow to be a proper and just ruler. If he was indebted and influenced by a bunch of soldiers into making a certain decision, then the decision wouldn't really be his. It looked like the garrison of that base was looking to get that kind of influence, the kind of power to change the entire world.

Lou Sai pulled up another slip of blank paper and a quill. He dipped it into a small jar of ink and froze. He realized he had no idea what he could tell them.

Prince Iroh had already proven himself one of the more capable recruits in the Captain's eyes. He had been quietly surprised when Iroh, who was surely used to an incredibly luxurious life, had been one of the few who had taken the labor he had charged them all with in stride. He had next been surprised when the Prince of the Fire Nation had chosen not to sit with the future Elites that were so like himself but with the outcasts, who he had little in common by upbringing but maybe, just maybe were kindred spirits in other ways. Finally, Lou Sai had seen Iroh stand up for his weaker friend when he was bullied by the one who seemed to be the leader of the Elites. He had stood up for the weak minority because it was the right thing to do even when it was easier just to side with the power. That took guts, morals, and, Lou Sai believed, that core strength it took to be a true leader. Out of all the recruits, and this was a strong class of recruits, he felt that Iroh was the most fit to lead.

But that wasn't the sort of thing he could send in a letter. He had to tell them something. He considered his thoughts again, and it came to him. Smirk on his face, he began scribbling on the paper.

**Zarai**

He smiled as he walked the halls of the ship. Sure, he had just gone through some brutal work cleaning barnacles off of the underside of the ship, but not even that could ruin the good mood that had persisted in him over the past four days. Who wouldn't be happy, considering what Zarai had been able to accomplish on the time he had been on this ship?

Since beating down Iroh's friend there had been virtually no opposition from Iroh and Nile. Any time he had seen them they would glare but wouldn't dare go beyond that. He had found their weak spot, and with that under his thumb they were helpless like whipped dogs. Now he was king here and he would make sure it would stay that way when they got to the base somehow. All he would have to do was threaten their friend again. That should make both of them behave.

"It won't just be during training." He muttered to himself. "I'll make him my bitch later on too." He could just imagine it. Iroh, Fire Lord and most powerful man in the world, doing as HE pleased. He, Zarai son of Noro, would be the real power in the Fire Nation. He would make sure of it.

He rounded a corner and halted to a stop. He came across the last thing he wanted to see right at that moment. Nile was standing in the middle of the hallway, arms crossed. Zarai whirled around and briskly walked back the way he had come.

Nile had chosen his moment perfectly. Zarai was alone and tired, at his weakest. Even so, Zarai wasn't afraid of Nile. He was fairly sure that he was the stronger of the two benders, but he didn't want to risk the chance that he might lose. He knew Nile would pay back tenfold all the damage Zarai had done to the skinny kid. No, it was better to retreat and organize so that if they did fight it would on his playing field and by his terms. Preferably with a bunch of friends to back him up if it got too close.

Zarai could hear the light steps behind him that told him that his would-be opponent was following him. Crap. Crap crap crap. This wasn't going to go well if he got caught by Nile. Revenge is a powerful motivator, and could prove to tip the scales. At least there weren't any fireballs heading his way. Nile apparently just wanted to pummel him. But if Zarai couldn't be caught he couldn't be pummeled. He decided speeding up would be a good idea.

He turned around another corner to find a choice of two hallways, forming a T-shape. Unfortunately, it wasn't really much of a choice as Iroh was waiting on the right side much as Nile had in the other hall. That way was blocked off. Zarai quickly dashed down the open hallway, now legitimately scared. They had found him alone, without the support of his friends. They had reason to attack him. If he couldn't escape, then he could get a beating just as bad as what he had done to their friend. Crap crap crap crap crap. He glanced behind him. Iroh was hot on his heels. Zarai sped up. He was NOT going to be beaten by the likes of them.

He sprinted down the halls, taking unpredictable turns when there were options. He had to shake em, had to shake em. He was so involved in running it didn't even occur to him to wonder why he wasn't running into the night guards. But he did soon realize that he had gone down certain pathways before. As large as the Fire Nation ships were, they were cramped inside and Zarai soon found himself running in circles, Iroh and Nile close behind. Where was his damn room? He could hide in there until they gave up and left.

Zarai had to stop suddenly when he almost ran into Nile. How had he gotten in front of him? Iroh was closing in behind him. He was trapped. Realizing his situation was desperate, Zarai called out for help. He knew he couldn't win against two on one odds. How could he have let himself become so vulnerable?

But then a miracle happened. The door to his right burst open suddenly. One of the crewman was standing there, ushering him inside. "Get in, quick!" The crewman said.

Not believing his luck, Zarai darted into the room, glad to be safe from his two enemies. That had been way too close. The door slammed shut loudly and Zarai let out a chuckle. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't catch him. He was still untouchable, the power player in this situation. That wasn't changing anytime soon.

He turned around to thank the guy who had saved him, but there was no one there. The crew member that had saved him had somehow ended up on the wrong side of the door. How had that happened?

Zarai listened closely to the door. "-nks, you completely sold it. Now he's right where we want him, trapped in there." "Yeah, he had no idea. He didn't realize he was being played. Sometimes it's hard to believe that somebody like him is considered smart. He fell right into that." That was followed by laughter.

Zarai gritted his teeth. That crewman was in on Iroh's little plan. They had wanted him to come in here. So he had been tricked, huh? And this was the worst they could do? Lock him in a room?

"Hey!" He called through the metal door. "I believe you may have miscalculated quite a bit. So your entire plan was to keep me trapped in a room all night? That's a poor revenge for what I did to your friend. This is nothing compared to the beating I gave him. The Captain will take care of all this in the morning and you guys will have failed." He honestly had expected better from them. It seemed like this master plan they had been thinking of for the past four days. It was beyond sad. They could have done so much better.

"I think you need to consider some things before you think you've won, Zarai." Nile answered smugly.

"Just think." Iroh said. "Maybe there is a reason we put you in that particular room."

His words sent chills down Zarai's spine. He whirled around, taking in the room he was in. For the most part it looked like any other room, with a bunk bed, a dresser, and a few other objects a room would normally have. What was different was that there was someone standing there, barely illuminated by the weak candle in the corner. It took Zarai a minute to realize that it was none other than the boy he had beat up a few days ago, Iroh's roommate. Despite his small stature he was kind of intimidating in the near darkness.

Zarai felt relieved. This was it? This kid wasn't even a bender. It would be a piece of cake to crush him. Feeling confident again, Zarai said, "You're my opponent? You're kidding, right?"

The skinny boy didn't answer, just glared in a way that kind of reminded Zarai of a snake.

"No answer? Alright then. Let's get this over with." He struck with the suddenness that came from years of training, a jet of fire flying at the other boy. To his surprise, the other boy dodged with amazing speed that didn't seem human. But that was impossible. How could he possibly have dodged that?

The boy dashed forward and threw a right hook. It was too fast for Zarai to block. It caught Zarai on the jaw, knocking him back into the door. The impact stunned him for a moment, allowing the other boy to strike him painfully in the stomach. Zarai dived away into a roll that brought him back to his feet. The boy didn't pursue, leaving them staring each other down, Zarai breathing heavily and clutching his stomach.

What kind of crap was this? How had this poor excuse for a wannabe soldier moved so fast? It didn't make sense at all. This guy wasn't even on his radar. He was a nobody. How was this happening?

"Just who are you?" He huffed. "You shouldn't be able to do this."

The boy shrugged. "Why not? You don't know me. You don't know what im capable of. I wasnt important enough for you to check up on. You don't know what I can do, or what my abilities are. I bet you don't even know my name."

He was right, but Zarai wasn't about to tell him that. Zarai finally began to consider that maybe it had been a mistake to overestimate this guy. He was tired from running away from Nile and Iroh earlier, so he was at a major disadvantage here. But he wasn't giving up yet. He could still fight out of this. This guy may be fast, but he still couldn't bend. He also wasn't very strong despite his unusual speed. Zarai could take advantage of this. This battle was still his to win.

"That's the problem with people like you." The boy continued. "You think that once you've won that you can't be beat. That there isn't anyone who can stop you. You think that you are better than everyone else. You get overconfident, and that's when people like me come in to pop your bubble."

As he said_ bubble_ he struck. Zarai barely dodged the kick that almost tore his head off. He was again taken back by just how fast this guy was. It wasn't human. He continued attacking, getting in several hits on Zarai and knocking him to the ground. Zarai was taken aback by just how ferocious the attack was. This wasn't the same person. Zarai couldn't believe this. This punk, small as he was, was throwing him around like a doll. What had he gotten himself into?

"No!" He shouted, getting back to his feet. "I'm not gonna be defeated by the likes of you!" He swung wildly, catching the other boy in the jaw. The small Fire Nation recruit was knocked back. Zarai grinned. He had finally slowed down his opponent. He pressed his momentum and forced the other boy back until he was slammed against the far wall.

Zarai grinned savagely. "What was that about beating me? I think you were the one that got overconfident." He shot a burst of flame at the boy's face. He wasn't thinking of the consequences burning him would have. All he cared about was leaving a mark that his opponent would never forget.

The boy ripped out of Zarai's grip and ducked below his arm. The flame scorched the wall, leaving a burn mark that almost ended up on his face, and would have scarred him forever. Zarai turned his head to see the boy, who was now behind him. He was scared at what he saw. There was a fire in the boy's eyes that was absolutely fearsome. Zarai was actually scared. Whatever this guy was fighting for went well above simple revenge. This went far beyond Zarai's imagination. This was power, true justice.

Zarai never saw the blow that took him down.

It was actually just a simple punch to the gut that defeated him. One of the simplest moves ever to be used in a fight. Even despite all his training, Zarai couldn't defeat one of the weakest guys he had ever encountered. Or was he really that weak? Zarai remembered one of his teachers telling him once a long time ago that determination and chip on your shoulder could give one the power of gods. Maybe he had been right.

Zarai collapsed to the ground, beat. The victor rolled him over then placed his foot on Zarai's gut. He pressed lightly, then ordered, "Listen to me." Zarai nodded weakly. "I want you to remember this. You were beat, and beat by me. Not Nile, not Iroh, me. I can't even Firebend and I was able to beat you. Remember that. If you have any sense at all, you and your little buddies won't mess with us anymore. I'm sparing you this time. Make good use of this second chance. Understand?" Zarai nodded again, helpless to do much else.

The pressure left Zarai's gut and the boy walked away, leaving a mess behind him.

**Iroh**

There was a knock at the door. He heard Mylo say, "Coming out." Shu-on opened the door to let her out. _Him,_ Iroh corrected himself mentally. He had to train himself to think of Mylo as male or he risked revealing his secret.

Mylo walked out, looking considerably tired. Behind her Iroh could see Zarai weeping on the ground. Iroh was surprised. Had she done that? Back when Iroh had formulated the plan, he had intended for it to be him to fight Zarai. Mylo had insisted that she fight him instead. Even though he initially disagreed, Iroh had reluctantly changed his mind, only relenting because he would be right there to help Mylo if things turned sour.

But this... What had happened in there? How was Mylo capable of something like that? She had destroyed the proud, arrogant, but powerful boy Iroh had known into a shriveling, crying mess. Were all girls that scary?

Mylo herself-himself, Iroh silently reminded himself- didn't look that great. She looked very tired and a good bit more bruised than when she had entered the room. But she smiled slightly, and that told the whole story. She had gone in the underdog against the one who had done her wrong, stood her ground, and emerged stronger. If that wasn't a victory Iroh didn't know what was.

Iroh smiled broadly at his friend. "You did it! You actually beat him. I'm proud, Mylo."

"Thanks, Iroh." Mylo said wearily. "It means a lot to hear that, believe me. But before I hear anymore praise, I need some rest. Tell me about it in the morning."

Nile and Iroh both nodded. They couldn't begrudge their friend some rest. Not after what she- he- had just accomplished. They waved her goodbye as she disappeared around a corner.

Iroh turned to Shu-on, the soldier who had shown him his room the first night he had been here. "Thanks for your help. Without you he would never have gone in there." The man had been more than happy to help Iroh. The Prince knew that the only reason the solider helped them was to advance his career later on because of his connection to the Prince, but it couldn't be helped. Iroh didn't have much more choice, so he was happy to have any help he could get ahold of, even if it came with a price. It was more than worth it to help a friend.

The soldier nodded slightly, a conman's smile on his face. "Think nothing of it, my good man. Think nothing of it. I'm more than happy to help with a pest problem. It's all good here. Now, if that's all, I have places to be. See ya later!" He turned and walked away, the opposite end from Mylo's exit.

"Weird guy."Nile commented. "How did you even get him to help us?"

"He just wanted to help." Iroh said carefully. He didn't want to reveal too much to Nile. They might be friends, but it was friendship out of necessity. Iroh didn't truly know whether he could trust this guy. At least, not yet.

Iroh walked into the room that held Zarai. Behind him he heard Nile exclaim, "Whoa! Just what so you think you're doing, Iroh? He's dangerous."

Iroh waved him off. "Don't worry. It's fine. I'm just going to have a little talk with him. Just go ahead and get in bed."

"But what if he-"

Iroh pointed at Zarai. "Does he look like he's in any condition to attack anyone?"

Nile shrugged, unable to find a suitable answer. "I'll be perfectly alright." Iroh pleaded. "Promise." Nile gave him one last look before leaving.

Iroh turned back to Zarai, who was still crumpled on the ground. He walked over to the defeated boy and sat down next to him.

After a moment of listening to soft moans escape Zarai, Iroh finally said, "Back then, you were right. You were completely right about me and what kind of person I am. My main weakness always has been that I care about people. Because I care, people like you can use those I care about against me, and it works. But you always forget that it works both ways. You always forget that because I care so much that I am willing to fight harder than humanly possible to protect those I care about. You always forget that in the end, when you threaten and attack them, it will backfire on you. I will win in the end because I am capable of going farther than you or anyone else dares to for them."

He chuckled. "That's why it's so interesting that it wasn't me but Mylo who beat you. Who knew he was capable of that? I sure didn't. And judging by how this turned out, neither did you. Now Zarai, I hope this taught you some things. You got overconfident in your influence and your abilities. You refused to believe that we were still a threat to you. Finally, and most importantly, you picked a fight with someone you didn't have the capability to finish. Try and learn from those mistakes."

Iroh stood up. "Before I go, I want you to think about something. Back on that first day, when I chose their table instead of yours, you told me that I made a mistake. Looking back at this, I want to ask yourself if you might have been wrong about that. Maybe I made the right choice. I think I did. What do you think?" Iroh left the room, leaving Zarai to cry pitifully on the floor. He had a feeling that he wouldn't be messing with them again.

**As Porky the Pig would say, that's all folks. Zarai has been dealt with(or has he?) and everything is relatively good again. But how long can that last? BWAHAHAHAHA!**

**I regret to admit that I have been a rather lazy writer, and I haven't really answered many of the reviews. I promise that as soon as this is published I will begin performing my duty and answering them. I plead for your forgiveness for taking so long, don't destroy me with your telepathy powers.**

**If you don't keep up with my other works( I would appreciate it greatly if you started) I have released a new story for Gravity Falls called Through the Portal. If you are a fan of the show I suggest you check it out, its great. You should also check out my Legend of Korra story Revenge of the Red Lotus. Again, if you have watched the show you will love it. Lastly in my promotion corner, check out my friend Solo Gamer. He has stories for Teen Titans, Percy Jackson, and Naruto if you like those.**

**Finally, don't forget to favorite, follow and review if you enjoyed the story! Seriously, if you liked it let me know. If you leave without actually doing anything I have no idea what your thoughts were about it, and that makes me scared you didn't like it. Alleviate my fears and let me know what you thought. Even leaving a review with something like "Blarg" or "blue" is better than nothing and I will find it amusing. So please please please help me out and give me some fanfare. And most importantly, don't forget to turn to the dark side, because that is the most important part. Keep in mind that we DO in fact have cookies.**

** -Darthlane**


	11. Chapter 11- Good vs Evil

**Surprised to see me back so soon? I understand the confusion, because I usually have a new chapter for Dragon of the West once every week and it's only been two days since the last chapter. But I managed to put this one together really quick and it is also a pretty short chapter, so I got it done much quicker than usual. I would just like to thank those of you that have stayed with me for this story, because it's been fun and I appreciate every bit of your support. That being said, enjoy the story!**

Chapter 11

Iroh opened the door to his room, suddenly very tired. He slipped inside, realizing just how late it was. Dawn couldn't be far away. He remembered that they would be arriving tomorrow at Taku base. Their new home for the next few months. He hoped it would be better than this.

The room was dark, Mylo having already put out the candles that lit the room. Even through the darkness he could see that she-he- wasn't asleep. Instead, she sat on the bottom bunk, her face in her hands. Iroh could hear quiet sobbing.

"What are you crying for?" Iroh asked softly. "Are you okay? There isn't anything you should be crying about, Mylo. You won." A thought suddenly occurred to him. "You aren't hurt, are you?"

Mylo looked up from her palms slowly. Iroh could see tears in her eyes through her splayed fingers. She waited a moment before saying, "I'm okay. I just-" her voice faded, unable to come up with the right words.

Iroh searched his brain for any reason that might explain why she was crying. The day after Zarai's attack, Mylo had soldiered through her injuries and insisted that Iroh continue to teach her Firebending. Iroh had fretted over her condition and insisted that she rest, but Mylo had been set on learning. Then, on the third night, the most amazing thing happened.

**Flashback**

"I can feel it." Mylo said, determination in her eyes. "I know I can make it happen. I'm so close to making fire." She stood in the middle of the room to practice her Firebending. Her arm was out, palm open, trembling with the effort Mylo was using to make it do something.

"C'mon, Mylo." Iroh said. "It's way too late to keep this up. Please just go to bed."

"Just five more minutes." Mylo pleaded. "I'm just so close, I know it."

Iroh sighed. Ever since he had found out Mylo was actually a girl he couldn't win an argument with her. It turned out that the old joke about women was actually true. Who knew, right? In any case, Iroh had much bigger headaches nowadays.

"Fine." He grumbled. "But that's it. No more after that. We have to go to bed so we aren't completely exhausted when we put our plan into effect."

"Okay," Iroh said, instructor once more, "try again. Feel your chi flow, the energy moving within you. Breathe deeply. Yes, that's it." Iroh couldn't help but notice how her body moved as she breathed. He had to force himself to keep his focus on her hand for any sign of flame.

She kept it up for several minutes, determined to become a Firebender. Iroh was very impressed with her dedication. "C'mon." Mylo said, pressure building. "C'mon. C'mon you son of a bitch! Just a little bit of fire. That's all I need. C'mon! Aah!" To their surprise, a small bit of flame appeared just beyond Mylo's palm. "I did it!" Mylo exclaimed. "I actually did it!" she jumped up and down, ecstatic with her success.

"Shush!" Iroh said. "You're being too loud, you might wake someone up."

Mylo nodded, still in disbelief. She watched the flame she had produced as it shimmered in the air. It was barely the size of a small coin, but fire was fire and Mylo had succeeded.

"Congratulations, Mylo." Iroh said quietly. "You're a Firebender now."

All too soon the flame flickered away. There was a brief moment of sadness that crossed Mylo's face, but it was quickly erased by a smile. "Thanks for helping me, Iroh. I couldn't have done it without you." She hugged him, and Iroh immediately felt heat rise to his face. When she pulled away he could see that her cheeks were red.

Iroh felt very tense but didn't know why. "Um," he said awkwardly, "I guess we go to bed now."

**Flashback End**

Iroh couldn't think of anything that could be making her cry like this. He knew it probably had something to do with whatever happened in that room, and that scared him that something could've happened when he had promised to have her back. He couldn't even begin to fathom what it was. He knew Mylo was incredibly tough and didn't cry over nothing. She hadn't even cried when Zarai beat her senseless, so he knew whatever it was had to have shaken her deeply.

He sat down next to her on the bed. "What's wrong, Mylo? What happened in there?"

She stared down at the floor. Iroh was worried she wouldn't answer until she said, "I beat him, Iroh. I beat him bad back there. You saw what condition he was in. He will always be scared of me from now on, and with reason. I tore him apart like an animal."

"I was meaning to ask you, where did you learn to fi-" She held up a hand to shut him up.

"It wasn't what I did to him that scared me, as bad as it was." Mylo said softly. "It was how I felt as I did it. I enjoyed it, Iroh. Enjoyed it. Do you realize how bad that is? It made me feel good as I saw the fear in his eyes. That scared me." There were fresh tears in her eyes. "All I could think about is that he must have felt the same way when he beat me. I'm scared that p-people like him, and people like us aren't s-so different. You see why I'm so scared? I don't want to be like him! I don't want to be a bully."

"We aren't like him." Iroh said gently. He hadn't been expecting something like this. "He's a monster, and we're good people."

"Are we?" Mylo asked fearfully. "We've done the exact same things he has. He beat me up to get what he wanted. He did it simply because we opposed him. But do you know what I realized? I just did the exact same thing to him for the same reasons."

"That's not the same, Mylo." Iroh said quickly. "It's different. We're different."

"How?" She asked, tears rolling down her face. "In the end we are no better than s-scum like him. But at least he has the decency to be honest about it."

Iroh was taken back. He realized that Mylo was right. They had done the exact same thing as Zarai had done to them. The same as that arrogant, selfish bastard. But Iroh refused to believe that they were on the same level. They couldn't be. He knew, deep down, that they were good. That they were better people than Zarai. He just knew it. But how were they different? Just what separated the good people from the bad ones if they did the exact same things? What could possibly separate them?

"Mylo, we aren't like him. I just know it. I know it because we can look at people like him with pity and know that there is something wrong with them and what they do." It suddenly occurred to him just why. "Do you know why we aren't like him, Mylo? Because he did what he did for power. We did it to protect others. That's the difference between people like him and people like us."

She looked up at him, thinking about what he had said. She nodded slowly. "That's true. We were trying to keep him from hurting others. But he just wants to have power. We are different. Thanks, Iroh. It helped a lot."

Iroh decided that now was as good a moment as any to find out what exactly had happened in there. He knew a non-bender didn't have much of a chance of besting someone as skilled at Firebending as Zarai. "So how did you beat him? You never did say."

Mylo shifted uncomfortably. "Oh, you know, I just hit him a few times."

Iroh refused to believe that was all of it. There was something going on here. He felt that there was more to her past than she had let on. "Don't play games with me Mylo. No one but a skilled bender should have been able to beat Zarai one on one. How did you possibly manage?"

"I just did." Mylo said, trying hard to avoid answering the question.

"Come on, Mylo." Iroh said. "Just tell me. Do you have some kind of special training? It's okay, you can tell m-" Iroh was cut off when Mylo suddenly leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Iroh was so surprised he didn't fight back. They spent for what felt like an hour there in that kiss, but it was probably just a couple of seconds. Iroh wished it had lasted longer.

Regretfully, she pulled back leaving Iroh hungry for more. Iroh said the only thing that could come to his mind at the moment. "Wow."

Mylo grinned mischievously. "I've been waiting to do that for a while." Her cheeks were red enough for Iroh to be able to see even in the dark room.

Iroh slowly rose from his seat on the bed. He understandably couldn't concentrate on the questions he had wanted to ask her. As he climbed into his own bunk he asked, " So, Nya huh?" It felt kind of... right to say her real name. He tested it in his mouth and it felt like honey on his tongue.

"Yep." She answered, sounding almost winded. Iroh was pretty sure she had enjoyed that just as much as he had.

Iroh collapsed onto his stiff mattress with a sigh. He spent the final moments of his consciousness just reliving the feeling of her lips on his. It was amazing.

Wow.

**So what do you think about that? I have finally, FINALLY stepped into the realm that is romance. That being said, did I do a good job with it? What did you guys think? I crave your opinions!**

**I would like to promote my other two stories, Dragon of the West (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and Through the Portal (Gravity Falls) in hopes that maybe, just maybe you'll listen. Pretty please! If you have watched those shows you should check them out, and if you haven't I COMMAND you to watch them immediately. It's for your own good, my child. I would also like to recommend you guys look up the writer Solo Gamer and look up his stories. You'll love them, especially if you've read/watched Percy Jackson, Naruto, or Teen Titans.**

**It would also be in your best interest to favorite, follow and review so that you don't miss any future chapters of this story. I would sure be happy about that, believe me. Lastly and most importantly, of course, I must request that you to join me on the dark side, because good is overrated and we have cookies. Beat that, Yoda**

** -Darthlane**


	12. Chapter 12- The Last Day

**Hello and welcome back to another LetsPlay! This is Markip- WAIT! WRONG THING! Sorry about that guys, I get mixed up sometimes. I'm not a famous YouTuber or anything. Gulp. Anyway, this here is another chapter of the not so famous but still good story, Dragon of The West! Enjoy!**

Chapter 12

Iroh gazed out at the enormous wall of Ba Sing Se, as he had taken to doing often during this campaign. For months now the wall had been a symbol for him, the hurdle he had to defeat. He would be the first, he could feel it. The first man to ever overcome that great wall, to break into the city. He could feel it in his bones, he could feel it in his soul. Somehow, someway, it would happen. It was his destiny, his fate.

But how?

So far in this campaign the way to break through had evaded Iroh. He had come to a conclusion. It would be near impossible to just break through. He had to find a way to go over or under.

With that in mind, a month ago he had ordered his men to build long tunnels that burrowed underneath the wall to get in. It had worked- at first. They had caught the Earth Kingdom defenses by surprise with a sudden invasion that erupted from the ground. They had done great in the initial battle that broke out, taking a chunk out of the city's hands for the first time in all of history. It didn't last, however. Rocks of all sizes rained down from the wall above while the armies of the Earth Kingdom formed a defense to drive the Fire Nation out. Under duress, the Fire Nation troops were forced to retreat back down their tunnel and back to the rest of the army. That way had been shut off from further invasion, leaving Iroh to find a new way to get in.

_If we can't go down_, Iroh thought, _then that just leaves up._

He realized the reason that plan had failed was because they never gained control of the wall. Taking that was key to success. They needed to take it over if they wanted to win. So that just left the question of how they were possibly going to scale a one hundred meter tall wall with an army of Earthbenders waiting at the top that were more than happy to rain large rocks down onto them.

After several days of thinking, Iroh, Lu Ten, and the other leaders of the invasion had come up with a genius plan to take the walls. It was foolish and unbelievably risky, but it was so outlandish that it might work. Of course, his son had been the first to sign up for it.

"You're still sure you want to do this?" Iroh asked Lu Ten, concerned. Iroh watched as two other men strapped Lu Ten into the huge contraption.

"I am, Dad." Lu Ten said with conviction. They had already argued several times over this. "I have to do this."

"You know I would rather someone else did this." Iroh pleaded with his son. "This is still experimental and dangerous, it could very well not work-"

"Which is why I have to do it. Please Dad, just trust me with this."

"But-"

"To pull this off we need the best guys we have, Dad." Lu Ten argued. "I don't mean to sound arrogant, but I'm one of them. We are more likely to succeed with me doing this part instead of someone else that isn't quite as good as I am."

"I don't care about success, just that you are safe."

"Then you're wrong, Dad." Lu Ten said unwavering to his father. "You made a decision by leading us here that you would place this army and the Nation it serves as your highest priority. That means that you have to give us the best chance of victory and that would be letting me go on this mission. Dad, you have to. For their sake." He motioned towards the rest of the army.

"I could just order you to stand down until this operation is over." Iroh said, unwilling to risk his son.

"Then I would just pretend I didn't hear it." Lu Ten said cheerfully.

Iroh sighed. "You are way too fucking stubborn for your own good, you know that? You must get it from your mother. You had better hope you have her toughness, too. You'll need it up there."

Lu Ten smiled warmly at his father. "Thanks. I know how much you want me to stay, but you don't need to worry. I promise you I will come back, no matter what."

Iroh gripped his son's shoulder. "Thank you." He said, his voice shaky with emotion. "Now I know you'll be alright. I raised you to be a man of your word." He pulled his son into a deep hug. "I- I just don't know what I would do if I lost you. You have no idea how important you are to me."

"Don't worry, Dad." Lu Ten said. "You know there's nothing they can throw at me that can knock me down."

"I know, but still..." Iroh looked around nervously. "Do you have everything you need? Are you sure your sails are ready? Has this catapult been looked over by someone who knows what they're doing? Please tell me you remember your training, Lu Ten."

Lu Ten smiled, touched by his father's concern. "Everything is okay, Dad. Believe me. Just let me take care of that wall and then we can finish this."

Iroh chuckled. "Oh, if only it were as simple as that. Lu Ten, just take care of yourself up there. You are the Prince and therefore we can't lose you."

"Dad, you're the Prince."

"You know what I mean. Just remember that I want you to come back from this more than I want this mission completed. We can always think of another way in, but I can't bring you back from the dead. You are the too important to lose, my son."

Before Lu Ten could answer a sentry appeared. "General Iroh, all of the machines are ready. We can fire as soon as you give the order."

Iroh nodded. "Thank you. I will be at the command tent shortly." He turned back to Lu Ten. "Remember what I said. Come back from this."

Lu Ten nodded as his father left. He waved goodbye as Iroh disappeared from sight.

Lu Ten shivered. Despite what he said, he was terrified to go through with his father's plan. It wasn't because he disliked the plan. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He thought it was genius. He just didn't want to take part in it because it was risky. The men who took part in it would be left to their own defenses thick in enemy territory and find a way to get their comrades there safely. It would be ridiculous in the worst possible way. Lu Ten only hoped for his own sake that his dad was right and he truly was a man of his word, because if he wasn't then he might not live to see the next hour.

When it came down to it, the only thing that kept him from agreeing with Iroh and letting some other man go was one undeniable fact: as future Prince he had the duty to his Fire Nation to do what he must to guarantee victory and defend his men. He couldn't shuck that off like a coward or he wouldn't have earned the responsibility he had been given.

With that in mind, Lu Ten swallowed his doubt and concentrated on what needed to be done.

In the shade of command tent, Iroh gazed at the wall once more. Would they be able to get over that humongous thing? He glanced down at the long line of catapults that were essential to the plan. Were they powerful enough? Could they get the job done?

He turned to one of the nearby strategists, a short balding man with a very long and thin mustache. "How high will they launch?"

"We are hopeful that they will reach eighty five to ninety into the air, sir."

Iroh was shocked. "But the wall is one hundred meters high! That's not good enough! They need to get high enough to reach the top. Is there any way to get them to launch higher than that?"

The man shook his head. "I'm afraid we can't, sir. We are stressing those things to the max as it is. Bend them anymore and they might not work at all. I'm sorry."

Iroh lost himself in thought. How could they overcome this? It came to him much quicker than he thought it would. "Maybe they can use Firebending. Use it to rise that last ten to fifteen meters. Would that work?"

The strategist scratched his head. "Perhaps. I have no idea if it will be enough, but shooting fire down could give them the momentum to reach the top. Although this is just guesswork, of course."

"No." Iroh said with a smile. "They can do this. The catapults, the fire, and the sails, all of that will get them up there. They can do it." He was glad that he had had the foresight to include the sails. He had taken the idea from stories he had heard of the Airbending gliders. They were spare cloth that had been stitched from the wrist to the waist of everyone who would be taking flight. Iroh had hoped that if any men didn't make it for some reason they could glide down and avoid the injuries that would have resulted from a direct fall. But maybe they could help the men in their flight.

"Go spread the word for the men to use their Firebending to rise higher." He ordered the man.

The strategist nodded and ran off, content to be a glorified messenger boy. Several minutes later he returned, out

Of breath. "It- it had been spread as you o-ordered, sir. Everyone is ready."

Iroh nodded. "Then they have my order to fire." He raised a single fist in the air. A man behind him raised a flag, a black one with a red dragon on it. It was Iroh's chosen order to attack.

The catapults all fired, some earlier or later than those next to it. Iroh watched as the men that held the Fire Nation's fate in their hands flew to certain danger. The latest battle of the Siege of Ba Sing We had begun.

Iroh woke with a start. He realized that he had had another of those weird dreams that were popping up. It was already fading. All he remembered was a wall. And talking to someone, a young man. Maybe there had been a city? He wasn't sure, and he couldn't remember the rest.

Iroh looked around. There was light filtering through the window, and he could smell the salt in the air. He peered over the edge of the bed to discover that Mylo was gone. Iroh sighed. He had no idea how she got up so early. It was crazy.

Instead of getting out of bed Iroh laid back down. He looked back at his week, which was easily the wildest week he had ever had. Now his grandfather was dead, he was on a ship to the Earth Kingdom, and he hadn't seen Ozai for days. On top of that he had gotten into a fight, watched a friend be beaten, helped that friend get revenge, and discover that friend was in fact a girl. What a week.

He wondered how Ozai was doing back at home. He felt bad for having to leave his little brother, but he knew that it was the right choice. He just hoped Ozai would understand that. Hopefully his brother wasn't mad at him.

Mylo suddenly ran in, excited. "Iroh! Get up! We're here!"

"What?" Iroh wasn't sure what she was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that the trip is over. We've reached the Earth Kingdom. Just come up to the deck so you can see! It's beautiful!" Mylo ran off, probably back up to the deck.

Iroh quickly got dressed and made his way to the deck of the ship. Everyone else was already clamoring over the rails to get a look, even some of the sailors.

Iroh pushed his way through the small crowd until he found his three friends. Mylo pointed into the distance to the landmass ahead of them. Iroh couldn't believe it. This place was massive. He had known from maps and such that it was the biggest of the Nations, but he had no idea about just what that meant. It was beyond anything Iroh could have possibly imagined. The sheer size alone was too much to comprehend but the variety of the landscape here alone was amazing. Iroh could see a massive bay with a river that poured into it, complete with dock. Behind that were luscious, life filled forests. Even behind those Iroh could see mountains that kissed the sky and disappeared behind the clouds. It was truly amazing.

"That's it." He whispered to them. "That's our new home."

**That about wraps this one up, guys. I probably would have made the current day part of the story longer, but I've been dealing with a headache and just wanted it over with. I will make it up with a totally awesome reveal in the next chapter. In the meantime, check out my other stories, I'm sure you'll love them. Also, check out my buddy SoloGamer if you feel like reading a good story or two. And of course, don't forget to come to the dark side (we have cookies!)**

** -Darthlane**


	13. Chapter 13- A Soldier Now

**What's up, guys? It's Darthlane back with another chapter of Dragon of the West. It's been a little while since my last chapter, and I apologize. As school is ending soon the library was closing for the end of the year. I was trying to fit in as much reading as I could before it was closed, and as a result that meant less time spent writing. I hope you guys can understand and forgive me for that. Please?**

**Anyway, something I want to point out before this chapter begins is that the name of the base that Iroh and his new friends is the Taku Base. Taku was an old Earth Kingdom city that was abandoned long ago, essentially a ghost city. It will be seen in the show when Katara and Sokka get sick, leading Aang to find some frozen frogs, yadayadayada you know the rest. Now, does anyone remember a certain Fire Nation Base being near there? Yes, this is in fact the same base that Zhao held Aang prisoner and Zuko rescued him as the Blue Spirit. That very same base is where they are heading. But the connections don't end there! Taku is actually very near a spot where a certain famous city will be founded on the coast of a certain bay. In the future the bay will be renamed Yue bay after a white-haired princess. Since I couldn't find a name for it before it was called Yue Bay I decided to call it Turtleduck Bay. Besides that last part every bit of this is true. Taku exists, and is near where a certain city will be from LOK. Check the Wiki if you don't believe me. So can you guess which city happens to be there? Regardless, enjoy!**

Chapter 13

"I can't believe it!" Mylo said excitedly. "We're finally here."

"You are looking forward to this way too much." Nile commented. "Do you even realize how grueling the training is going to be?"

Mylo rolled her eyes. "That doesn't matter to me. I'll fight my way through whatever they throw at me."

"You sound pretty tough for a pipsqueak." Nile answered with a smile. Iroh couldn't help but notice that Satsudi paled- or at least paled more than usual- at his words. Iroh realized that Nile's teasing could just as well apply to the small boy. But at least Mylo had the excuse of being a girl (not that anyone else knew that) for her size. Satsudi was just small, and as a guy it was more noticeable. Therefore he was a prime target for bullying and other such actions. Iroh knew that even being rich, which Iroh had no idea if Satsudi was or not, didn't help much against determined bullies. Iroh had a hunch that his small, nerdy friend had suffered a lot in his time, and coming here would only make it worse. Before he had probably still had his parents' protection, but now he had nothing but what his friends could provide. And unfortunately Iroh and the others were relatively powerless. It would soon become a dangerous world for his friend if the commanders of their new home.

He realized Nile had asked him a question. "Huh, what? What was the question?"

"I asked you what you thought it was going to be like."

"Oh." Iroh said. "Well, I figure it will be a lot of training, like running and teaching us which end of a sword you're supposed to hold. Maybe some tactics and stuff. I don't know." Actually, Iroh knew a lot of what they should expect, as he had been forced to learn about it in his schooling to become a military leader.

Nile dismissed his words with a wave. "Yeah, yeah. That goes without saying. What I want to know is if there will be any Agni Kai's."

"Psst. Doubt it. That's probably only for later on." Mylo said.

"Not that it matters to you." Nile said darkly. "It's not like you're a Firebender or anything."

Mylo was about to respond but stopped when she saw Iroh shaking his head. It wouldn't be wise to let the others know what Mylo had accomplished yet. Not at this moment, at least. Maybe later, when Mylo was more accomplished.

Before anything else could be said a booming voice ordered, "All hands, attention!"

Iroh and the others reflexively turned to face the speaker, hands ready at their sides and awaiting further orders. It was Captain Lou Sai who had spoken. He glanced around at the group of teenagers. "Is everyone here? All of you? The let's begin."

He cleared his throat. "Men, your stay abound my ship is reaching its end. As I'm sure you suspected, that is the Earth Kingdom. If you look more closely you can see Turtleduck Bay, along with our port. Farther along you will eventually reach Taku Base, one of the largest Fire Nation compounds in the Earth Kingdom and your home for the next few months. One of your commanders will be at that dock way over there to meet you and escort you to the base. In the meantime I suggest you put on your dress uniforms. In my time as an officer I've found that when meeting your superiors it is always best to give a good first impression." He paused. "I'm missing something. Hmm, what was it? Ah! Don't forget to pack your things. Anything you leave on board becomes my property. Any questions?"

One boy raised his hand. "What should we do after we're done packing?"

"Look back at all of the warm, fuzzy memories we had on this ship." Lou Sai said, his sarcasm barely contained.

The boy looked relieved. "So we are done with our duties on the ship?"

Lou Sai nodded glumly. "I have to get my crew used to picking up after themselves again, so yes. You boys get a brief rest before your commander tears you to pieces. Anything else?"

He was met with silent stares. He nodded his head slowly and said, "That's that. Get to it, now!"

The group of teens burst into action, all rushing for the stairs. One of the crewmen had to jump out of the way to avoid being trampled. He got up cussing like a sailor, as was only fitting.

"Recruit Iroh!" The captain shouted into the crowd. "Return here at once."

Iroh skidded to a half and pushed his way out of the small crowd. He walked over to the captain and bowed slightly. Even though the captain knew his identity already, Iroh knew it wouldn't do to have someone see him act more casually around the captain and guess something was going on. For all he knew there were some of his father's detractors on this ship. If they were to discover that he was here there could be hell to pay.

Captain Lou Sai motioned for Iroh to follow him. "Come with me. We have some things to talk about."

Unsure of where this conversation would lead, Iroh followed.

They soon arrived at the captain's personal quarters. Inside it was very basic, just a slight step up from Iroh's own room. Just a bed, a dresser, a desk, and a chair to go with it. Simple and very unflashy, as Lou Sai probably kept things in general.

Lou Sai sat down in the chair and motioned for Iroh to sit on a mat placed in front of the desk. Because of this, when Iroh looked at the captain he had to crane his neck up to see properly. It was a tactic designed to give the lower hand person -in this case Iroh- a subconscious feeling of inferiority by looking up in an uncomfortable position. Iroh knew all too well how it worked. He had looked upon his father in this way for all of his childhood.

"Let's not waste time." Lou Sai said. "I know about everything."

Iroh's hairs suddenly stood on end. Everything? What exactly did he mean? "Um, what would that be sir?"

"I know about the situation with recruit Zarai. I know you defended recruit Satsudi from bullying, I know that you fought him and two others in the engine room. I know that he attacked your roommate and that you got revenge by attacking him in turn. I know it all, Iroh."

Iroh was surprised. How could he possibly have figured out everything? Only Iroh, Mylo, and Zarai knew about all of that, and Iroh knew the other two would never have told anyone. Mylo out of loyalty and Zarai out of pride. So how could the captain have found out about it?

As if reading his thoughts, Captain Lou Sai said, "Don't concern yourself as to how I know this. Instead you should be worried about what it means for you."

Iroh had to admit that the captain was right. It didn't matter in the end how he knew. The only thing that mattered was what was going to happen now that he did.

Lou Said watched Iroh like he was some rare animal on display. Iroh wasn't entirely unused to this being the Prince, but he still didn't like it.

"I will admit, Prince Iroh, that I have been watching you closely since you arrived here. Who wouldn't? Do you want to know what I've noticed about you?"

Iroh waited for whatever he had to say. He doubted it would be good.

"The first thing I've noticed is that you don't care for the rules. I have made it very clear that fighting would not be tolerated in my ship but you have continued to go at it with Zarai. That is not a good quality to have, Iroh."

"The second quality I noticed about you was that you were content with your lot here. Like many of the others, you came from a rich family and had a very privileged life. Unlike them however, you did your work without the slightest complaint and did it well."

"The third thing I noticed was that you chose not to spend your time with those who had a more similar background with you, but instead with the ones that were exempted from the main group."

"But it is the fourth thing that I noticed that said the most about you, Iroh. When your friends were threatened you stopped at nothing to defend and help them. You proved to be brave, cunning, and loyal to a fault."

He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply. He opened them again, and calmly said, "I will be honest Iroh. I tend to have little respect for political powers, especially the royal family. They have the power to tell soldiers what to do but rarely have the ability to lead. I was fully prepared for you to be exactly like Zarai and the others. Arrogant simply for having powerful parents, and too ambitious and proud for your own good. But you were different. You actually had heart and cared for those around you, which is key to be a good leader. That's why I think that of all the recruits here you are the one I would rest easiest following into battle. I thought you should know that before you left."

Iroh was at a loss for words. The captain had such confidence in him? He would have never guessed.

"Th-thank you, sir." He stammered out.

Lou Sai smiled. "There you go again. You show a lot more respect than the others do. That separates you from the competition. I do wonder though, just why you aren't like them. By all rights you should be."

Iroh didn't know how to answer that. He had just always been more considerate and forgiving than his family. He had always thought it was a weakness of his, bit if what the captain said was true maybe it wasn't. For the first time in his life Iroh considered that maybe his less aggressive nature might be a strength, not a weakness. Could that be true?

"But we've talked enough." The captain said curtly. "You still need to get ready. Go ahead and get out of here." He waved Iroh towards the door.

Iroh left and soon found his room. Mylo was already ready to go. When he walked in she was sitting on her bed, reading a scroll. Mylo looked up and said, "Oh there you are! Where have you been? You should have been ready already."

"I know, I know. The captain talked to me."

Mylo's eyebrows rose in surprise. "What about?"

"Uh, he talked about the fact that he had kept an eye on me, seeing as I'm the Prince. And Mylo, he knows. He knows about the fights and everything."

Mylo suddenly looked fearful. "Everything? Even that I'm a girl?"

"No, he didn't mention anything about that. I don't think he knows."

Mylo breathed out a sigh of relief. "That's good."

"Would it really be that bad if he knew?" Iroh asked. "He seems like a nice enough guy, if a little tough. I don't think he would be mad that you are a girl."

"I don't think he would either. I do think he would be mad that I lied to him. He might take that personally."

"That's true. But I'm pretty sure that he doesn't know."

"I hope so. Anyway, I'll leave so you can change. Make sure you pack everything." Mylo stood up, grabbed her bag, put away her scroll, and walked out.

Iroh closed the door and changed quickly into his dress uniform. It was usually reserved formal banquets, ceremonies, and the like, but Iroh guessed this was arguably a good occasion to wear it. You could only make one first impression so it was wise to make it good.

Iroh gathered his things and followed Mylo out the door. After a good deal of time he found the others waiting at the ship's main exit, which opened by the bow of the ship dropping to form a ramp. Iroh was the last to arrive, due to the earlier delay of talking to the captain. The others were all sitting against the walls of the hallway, bored out of their minds. Iroh sat down with his friends and they continued their conversation from earlier.

About fifteen minutes later those closest to the bow were startled when it let out a loud his of steam. That was followed by a cranking noise as the bow began bending to become a ramp. Sunlight suddenly poured from above and filtered into Iroh's eyes. He was forced to squint through the harsh light.

The ramp finished dropping with a loud thump. Behind it in the bright light was the wooden pier that Iroh had seen earlier. Behind the pier was a road, which Iroh had been unable to see earlier. More importantly, though, was what was in the road.

A massive creature stood in the middle of the small dirt road. It was over seven feet tall and probably weighed a ton. It was a dark gray similar to the steel of the ship they were in. The creature had a thick tail at least nine feet long and massive claws on each foot. But its most noticeable features were the gigantic horns adorned on its head.

Iroh knew exactly what this animal was despite never seeing them up close. It was a komodo rhino, a beast the Fire Nation had used as mounts for centuries.

On the back of the komodo rhino sat a Fire Nation soldier. He waved them on and shouted, "Hurry up now, you runts! We're burning daylight!"

The man was tall, bald and clean shaven, and looked about as normal and uninteresting as a face could get. Except for his eyes, Iroh realized. Even from here Iroh could see a vast intelligence behind those eyes, already judging the teens and picking apart each person in the matter of a few seconds. Iroh could only assume that this was their new commander.

Iroh followed the others out of the ship and down the ramp, bag in hand. As soon as they were all off the ramp hissed once more and began rising. Iroh looked back, getting one last look at the dark, torch lit halls where he had made new friends. Iroh wasn't sure but he thought he saw a gleam from a pair of eyes watching them from inside. Was someone watching them go? Nah, it must have just been a trick of the light.

The rest didn't seem to want to get near the komodo rhino. The rhino snorted suddenly, causing a few recruits to jump back in surprise. The man on the rhino laughed at them. "If that scares you then you aren't going to like the next few months." He chuckled once more. "So let's get onto introductions and instructions, why don't we? Attention!" All bags dropped to the ground and all hands snapped to sides at the order. Iroh knew he couldn't show weakness or a lack of discipline. He knew instinctively that this guy would be merciless towards mistakes.

He cleared his throat and said, "I'm Lieutenant Wu and I will be one of your commanders for your stay at our lovely base. Just in case you somehow didn't know, you are officially Fire Nation soldiers. Congratulations." He clapped, and the boys knew better than to join in. He watched them like a hawk, daring them to slip up. There was a sudden rumble from behind as the ship began pulling away from the dock. Iroh had to force himself not to turn his head. Another boy was unable to stop himself. Like a snake Wu whirled around and shot a fireball. It landed in front of the boy's feet but still frightened him enough to make the boy fall back on his butt.

Wu waited until the fire died with a hiss before commenting, "There's always one." He nodded at the boy. "Get up."

Wu got down from the rhino and said, "At Taku Base we have some simple rules for our troops to follow. First and most important is that we are disciplined. As soldiers we are tasked to get our jobs done, and get them done quickly and efficiently. That means that no matter what you are ordered to do you do it, no exceptions. There is no job we are unable to complete because duty means that we will dig deeper than ever possible to do what we must. We are men of our duty and failure is not acceptable." He glared at the boy who had failed his test. "Are we clear?"

"Y-yes." The boy managed to say.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear that. Could you speak up?"

"Yes sir!" The boy said loudly."

Wu nodded. "Now as you've probably figured out we are not currently at the base. You can't see it through the trees, but it is actually several miles inland. So your first task as Fire Nation soldiers is to get there. Any questions?" To Iroh's relief everyone knew better than to ask anything. This man was just looking for opportunities to make their lives miserable.

"None? Well I guess you guys should get moving."

The recruits all glanced at each other. Being in their formal uniforms and carrying their luggage didn't exactly do them any favors.

"Before you guys start moving you should know." Wu said as he got back onto the komodo rhino, which was eyeing Nile closely as though wondering if he might taste good. "There isn't going to be anyone else coming down this way for a while so it would be wise to bring your things with you to the base if you want to hold on to it. Another thing you should know is that these woods have their fair share of dangerous beasts. I'm pretty sure they only come out at night but who knows? There also might be some Earth Kingdom savages out here. You never know when you might come across some. Therefore I recommend you make it there before sunset. We wouldn't want any ... accidents. But if you are still out there when night comes out and you aren't sure you will make it, I suggest you return here. It's probably the most defendable place y ou will be able to find. Plus, I do want to see if you can survive the night." He grinned. "You might be the first."

Wu glanced up at the sun. "I'd say you have about five hours until sunset. Do with them what you will." He shot a huge fire blast into the air. "Go!"

**And so ends yet another chapter of DOTW. Let me know what you think in the reviews, and don't forget to favorite, follow, check out my other stories, check out my friend Solo Gamer, and turn to the dark side. Yes, I'm serious. I want you to do all of that. Right now. Get to it.**

**For anyone who cares, you should know that as we head into summer I won't be able to use my school's computers to type, much to my regret. This will probably lead to me updating less often and a slightly less eventful summer than we had for spring. I'm sorry, but there is no way around that. I just ask for your support and loyalty so we may conquer fictional worlds because we lack the resources to conquer this one. So for now I bid thee farewell and wisheth thou to joineth thine darkest side! We haveth biscuits!**

** -Darthlane**


	14. Chapter 14- Forest Trek

**I am so, so sorry. I checked as I was finishing this chapter and it has been a whole two months since I posted anything for this story. I realize that this isn't exactly anything y'all should be checking daily for updates from, it's just a two bit story, but if any of you were looking forward for a new chapter that never came I am sorry. I can blame writers block, business, other chapters, and all the other things in the world, but it still doesn't change the fact that I let you guys down. Buuuuut its here now, so enjoy!**

Chapter 14

"Go!"

The whole group of teenagers took off like a herd of ostrich horses that had caught scent of a predator. Iroh weaved in between people, trying his hardest not to get trampled. It didn't seem as though any of them cared if they injured anyone in pursuit of their goal.

They all knew the stakes. The bald Fire Nation soldier had said that anyone who made it would be accepted, but they weren't stupid. This was a race, plain and simple. The ones who showed up first would be the ones their superiors would be impressed with the most, and the slower ones would have to struggle to win their favor. Winning meant a good first impression with the people in power while losing meant shame and obscurity in their eyes. Iroh couldn't blame his peers for wanting to win so bad.

Iroh, however, didn't care about winning. As the Prince, even if he lost it wouldn't hurt their interest in him. He would be valuable to his commanders no matter how bad he did here. He had a very long leash compared to the rest of the cadets. He might as well put it to good use and help his friends get to the end quickly instead of solely trying to help himself. He had a feeling they might need it.

Iroh got to the outside of the small crowd, closest to the edge of the small road and the forest that surrounded it. He quickly scanned, trying to find his friends. He saw Nile ahead and called out to him. The tall boy turned at his name and saw Iroh. He shoved through the smaller teens and made his way to Iroh. Iroh quickly spotted Satsudi at the back of the crowd. He had taken care not to be swept up by the others' frantic sprint. Iroh looked for Mylo, but couldn't see her anywhere. As Satsudi joined Nile and himself, Iroh asked, "Do you guys see Mylo anywhere? I can't find him."

"I'm back here." A voice said right into his ear.

Iroh cried out and jumped away, surprised. Mylo was standing right behind him laughing. Nile and Satsudi joined in, all laughing at him.

Red faced, Iroh said, "That's not funny!"

"It kind of is." Mylo said, grinning.

Iroh sighed. "Whatever. Let's just get on with this."

Nile started jogging ahead, the others following along with him. "Don't go too fast." He told the others. "This is going to take awhile, and we don't want to waste all of our energy. We should alternate between jogging and walking."

"Who decided you could give the orders around here?" Mylo said, annoyed. She stopped, and Iroh quickly stopped too, not wanting to leave her behind.

"If you want to take over, be my guest." Nile said, doubling back. "But I'm willing to bet I know more about survival situations than you do. My parents have been training me to be a soldier since I could walk, and I have been doing hiking exercises like this for years. So if I were you, I'd listen to me."

Mylo turned to Iroh, and he shrugged. Nile probably did know best what to do. Iroh personally wasn't an expert on distance running or traveling in the wilderness. He had spent almost all of his life within the walls of the royal palace. "I'd say we trust Nile on this. Satsudi?"

The quiet boy just nodded.

"Mylo?"

"Fine. Whatever gets us there sooner."

Nile waved them forward. "Let's go then. We will jog for a while, then we can walk and regain our strength again, then more jogging. You all ready for that?"

They started their jog.

At first Iroh was fine with it, but within a few minutes he began to hate jogging. Was this what would await them at their new home? Just endless marching and training? Iroh suddenly felt a lot worse about his future.

The only thing that made him feel better was that they quickly passed up several other cadets on their way. Most of them glared resentfully as Iroh and the others passed. Iroh wanted to laugh at them. Served them right for sprinting and wearing themselves out so quickly. Of course, Iroh reflected, his group wasn't doing much better.

Right as Iroh felt he was going to break from all of the running Nile finally let them stop. Iroh, Mylo, and Satsudi promptly took the chance to plop down in the grass by the road. Nile wouldn't have any of it. "Wha- what are you guys doing? You can't just lay down!"

"Of course we can. We just did." Iroh muttered. He tried to hug the ground, but unfortunately he wasn't big enough to wrap around it. He didn't want to leave.

"We have to keep walking or else we aren't going to get there before nightfall." Nile pointed out.

He was right. Even now the sun was moving quickly through the sky and Iroh knew they still had a long way to go. Damn.

"We won't make it before then." Satsudi said quietly.

"He's right." Iroh said. "We can't go fast enough, and even if we could we are too tired to move quickly."

"Then should we just go back?" Nile asked? "That soldier said that it would be dangerous in here at dark. Earthbenders and strange creatures and such come out at night. Should we go back to the dock?"

"Maybe." Iroh said. "We don't know what we're dealing with out here and if its more than we can handle then it could cost us our lives. But if we do go back then we are guaranteed to not make it until tomorrow. We could be kicked out because of that."

Mylo got up. She started walking down the trail, but towards the Fire Nation base, not the dock. "You guys can choose what you want, but I'm going to keep it up. I would rather make it at midnight than tomorrow and I'm sure our superiors would agree."

Nile, Satsudi, and Iroh all exchanged looks. It seemed that their choice had been made for them.

They got up and followed Mylo. Now they were only walking. Iroh refused to do any more jogging.

Minutes passed, and they soon turned to hours. Soon enough the day was passing and sunset arrived. Iroh began to feel more worried about their chances. There could be all sorts of beasts hidden in these woods. Sure, he and Nile happened to be capable Firebenders, but that didn't mean they were invincible.

As the sun was dipping and the forest was starting to get dark Lieutenant Wu rode by on his komodo rhino.

"Still going at it, huh?" The Fire Nation soldier said with a grin, reigning in his ride. "If you were smart you would head back. I dont like your chances out here at night."

"We'll be fine." Mylo said confidently. "Nothing will stop us from getting to the base."

The soldier laughed. "You can say that now, when you are safe. But when the monsters start coming you might think differently."

"Mylo is right." Nile said. "You can't scare us into going back."

Lieutenant Wu shrugged. "If you really are that stupid, then go ahead. We'll search for your bones tomorrow morning. If you're smart we should find then still in your body back at the dock, but that's up to you. Either way, see you tomorrow. Or maybe not." He laughed and his komodo rhino sped off deeper into the woods.

"What is that guys problem?" Mylo asked crossly.

"He's just trying to scare us, I think." Iroh answered. "Trying to weed out the cowards and quitters from the ones who will try to make it."

"That, or he's telling the truth." Satsudi said. He glanced at the trees, which grew darker and darker. "I'm not sure I wanna find out."

"Hey, even if something does attack, me and Iroh will defend you." Nile assured him. "You'll be completely fine. Nothing in here will want to face Firebending."

Satsudi didn't seem convinced, but didn't say anything against it. "Okay, then lets go. I'd rather get out of here as soon as we can."

Iroh couldn't blame his friend for wanting to go back. Now in near darkness, the trees looked quite creepy. It wasn't hard to imagine some terrifying beast leaping out of the shadows. Iroh shuddered. They had enough problems without him imagining more. It would do him good to put those thoughts away.

They continued their trek through the dark woods. Time kept passing, but they seemed no closer to their goal. By now it was dark enough to make out a distant light over the treeline, which Iroh assumed had to be the torches that lit the base at night. But even after hours of walking that light seemed no closer to them than it had before. Iroh started getting worried that they would never reach it, and all the while he could feel his energy draining away.

He didn't know which hurt more, his tiredness or his thirst. Both felt they would consume him if they weren't attended to soon and the worst part was that part of him wanted them to. Anything to end this ridiculous walk.

As they walked Iroh could just feel eyes on them. Dozens of pairs of eyes, just watching the teens walk, watching to see if they would tire and grow weak. Iroh had no doubt now that the lieutenant had told the truth about the animals out here. Iroh could hear howls, most distant but some eerily close. Iroh hoped that the creatures that produced those howls chose not to show themselves.

It didn't help that after the hours of walking Satsudi, completely exhausted, collapsed on the road. Iroh and the others rushed to his side and helped him lean against a tree.

"Are you OK?" Mylo asked, although she wasn't doing much better. Iroh noticed a slight wobble and sway to her movements and didn't think she could keep it up much longer either.

"I-..." Satsudi mustered before he coughed violently. With tears in his eyes, he croaked, "I can't do this. This is too hard." He sobbed into his knees.

Iroh didn't know what to say. He wanted to comfort his friend, but he wasn't sure how he could support him. Satsudi didn't believe he could make it, and honestly Iroh agreed. He wasn't sure if any of them could make it.

"Don't give up so easily!" Mylo said. "You can do this, I know you can. You just need to get up and keep trying."

Satsudi glared at her. "I'm not like you three!" He yelled. "I can't do this kind of thing. Fighting, working, hiking, that's not me! That's not what I'm good at, that's not what I like! I don't want to be here. If you three want to be soldiers, fine, but that's not for me. Just leave me out of it! I'm done!" He lowered his head so he was looking at the ground instead of them. He sobbed once more, gripping the grass with his nimble fingers as though it was all that was holding him there.

Mylo looked to Iroh. He just shrugged. He had no idea how to comfort the poor boy. Nile sighed and said, "You two, give him some space. I'll talk to him."

As he and Mylo walked off, Iroh heard Nile say, "Look at yourself, Satsudi. Would your mother be proud of you? When you left she said to go be a good soldier and make her proud. You aren't going to make anyone proud sitting here feeling sorry for yourself. You don't want to be here, I know, but you are. Make the best of it. You need to..." Iroh couldn't make out any more as he and Mylo got too far away.

He and Mylo sat down a little bit farther down the road and waited for them. "Do you think he's going to be ok?" Mylo asked.

"I don't know." He answered. "I hope so."

They waited. Iroh tried to avoid looking at Mylo, but there wasn't much else to see in the dark forest. Iroh thought that at one point she caught him looking, but if she did she didn't say anything. Iroh hoped that they would get back soon. He found sitting here with her very, very awkward.

A few minutes later Nile and Satsudi returned. Neither said a word but Nile nodded to Mylo and Iroh. Iroh would just have to assume the problem was resolved for now.

They continued walking. Iroh felt a little better after their brief rest, but it didn't last long. Soon enough he and the others were as tired as before and it didn't seem like they were much closer to the base.

Satsudi stumbled again, and Nile was forced to carry his friend. Satsudi put an arm over Nile's shoulder and leaned on his friend for support. They continued like this, and Iroh and Nile would take turns supporting Satsudi. It got worse when Mylo, about an hour after Satsudi fell, also failed to keep going. Nile carried Satsudi from then on while Iroh carried Mylo. He remembered all of a sudden as he carried her that Mylo happened to be a girl. Iroh was glad it was dark so the others couldn't see him blushing. At least she didn't have much in the area of the chest; that would have made carrying her even more distracting.

Suddenly Iroh saw movement up ahead. It was hard to see what it was in the darkness, but it kind of looked like another one of the cadets running their way. Iroh was kind of surprised. They hadn't seen anyone else in hours.

"Nile!" Iroh said. "Look ahead."

"I see him." Nile answered. "Who is it?"

"I don't know." Iroh said, peering ahead at the person. As he got closer, the running cadet shouted, "Run! Run away! They're coming!"

Iroh set Mylo down, who was watching the events unfold with wary eyes. Iroh shouted to the teen. "What? Are you alright?"

The other cadet, who Iroh now recognized but did not remember the name of, waved his arms. "No! Stay away! Run! Get out of here! They're coming!"

"Who's coming?" Nile yelled.

Several howls rang through the night from up the road. They sent chills down Iroh's spine. Something was coming.

Iroh wished they had heeded the lieutenant's warning. The dock seemed a good place to be right now.

**Thanks for reading! I'll try to update faster, but juggling three stories means that it might not be THAT soon. Sorry. Let me know what you thought in the reviews and be sure to join the dark side, because we have these excellent chocolate chip cookies that are to die for(They aren't poisoned or anything *wink wink*).**


	15. Chapter 15- Forest Fire

**Welcome back! It's good to see you guys again! What's that? I do? Aww, thank you! You look great too. You are so nice! Yes, I know I'm just talking to myself. Let me have this. What? Really? Wow. That was mean. You were nice just a second ago. What changed? No, that's not an excuse for- REALLY? You are just going to interrupt me like that? No! Just leave me alone! Go read the story or something. I don't feel like talking to you right now.**

Chapter 15

"Go!" The boy shouted. "You have to go now!" He looked ready to keel over, but Iroh knew that this person would do whatever it took to get to safety. The question was, where was safety?

Iroh looked around. There had to be something. The trees maybe? Iroh wasn't sure that they would be safe in them, or that they would have the time or even the energy to do so. Iroh wasn't sure that he could climb up a tree at the moment, let alone Mylo or Satsudi. No, whatever their course of action it would have to be on foot.

Should they try to fight whatever these creatures were? Both Nile and himself were more than capable at Firebending, but Mylo and Satsudi were next to helpless. This other boy might be able to help, but just as likely not. Iroh didn't know how many creatures there were, but he knew that it was likely more than he and Nile could fight off. So what could they do?

"Hey," Iroh said to the others, "do any of you have an idea about what to do here?"

Both Mylo and Satsudi shook their heads as the group backed away from the howls. By now the other boy had caught up to them.

Nile however growled, "We'll fight 'em off."

Iroh sighed. "I was hoping we wouldn't have to resort to that." Exhausted as they were, their Firebending attacks would be sloppy and weak. A fight probably wouldn't end well. Hopefully whatever was making the howls wasn't as dangerous as it sounded.

"Get behind us." Iroh said to the others. "We are going to protect you. If anything hap-"

He was cut off by a loud roar as a massive animal jumped out of the dark forest and stood in the middle of the road. Iroh recognized almost immediately what the creature was. For the most part these things resembled wolves, but were much larger. In size they were closer to komodo rhinos. Instead of a normal snout the animal had a large beak. It also had talons instead of wolf claws and could unfurl large wings. Eagle wolves, as these were called, couldn't quite fly, but could glide if jumping down from a high place. These beasts were feared for their great hunting prowess and their ferocious fighting capabilities. They were considered some of the most dangerous animals in the world.

Two more eagle wolves leapt out to flank the first. They were slightly smaller, but still massive. Iroh didn't like this one bit. Just one could prove too much, let alone three of the wild terrors.

The lead wolf snarled and charged at the kids. They were just as fast as normal wolves, but at their size that meant a lot more momentum. If they got close all Iroh and the others could hope for was to dodge out of the way. There was no fighting back against the eagle wolves. At least not physically.

Iroh turned to his fellow Fire bender. "Nile! Now!"

They both shot flames at the attacking beasts. The attacks, while sloppy due to fatigue, were powerful. Nile's flame hit the lead wolf. Iroh's hit the one on his left. Both wolves were startled and faltered, causing the third wolf to slow down so as not to leave his pack mates behind. When the flames dissipated, however, all the two wolves had injured was some scorched fur. Realizing that those flames were the best their prey could throw at them, the wolves approached more casually. Now that they were certain that Iroh and the others couldn't fight back they could hunt them at their leisure.

_What do we do?_ Iroh thought. _That didn't work, and it was our best shot. But there has to be something. What to do? What can I do?_

As he was backing away Iroh stepped on a fallen tree branch. It snapped loudly, drawing Iroh's attention momentarily away from the wolves. Suddenly an idea sparked in his mind. Sticks, leaves, grass... He could use those to his advantage.

"Nile." Iroh said. "Follow my lead. Everyone, stay behind me and make your way for the trees. Stay together. If we bolt they will run us down and we won't have a chance."

Iroh had learned about that other part in his classes when he was about Ozai's age. His teachers had been teaching him about how various animals related to each other and how they related to the Fire Nation. One of the things Iroh had learned was that herd animals would gather together to fend off predators. If an animal broke ranks and ran in fear the predator would catch it before it got far. Unless the prey was fast enough to get away, such as a rabbit, it was better to defend rather than run.

"What are you planning, Iroh?" Mylo asked as she helped Satsudi walk.

"I have an idea." Iroh answered. "It just might save our skins." The wolves were getting close, so he said loudly, "Speed it up! Get off the road!" He threw a fire ball at the lead wolf's feet, scorching the ground. The three wolves promptly ignored the attack. It didn't slow them down in the slightest.

Iroh was relieved to feel dirt switch to grass under his feet. He shot down a flame at the grass as he backed up, then shot another. There was quickly a wall of flame in between the recruits and the eagle wolves. One of them tried to pass through the flames, but recoiled from the fire. Nile got the idea and started to light up grass as well. Soon enough they were behind an impenetrable wall of fire and smoke. The shadows the flames caused stretched on for what seemed like forever. The group was safe from the wolves. Iroh's idea had worked.

At least, initially.

Nile kept shooting more flames. He didn't seem to be satisfied with their protection, so he was adding more. Eventually he ran out of grass within easy reach so he decided that the trees themselves would do nicely. He shot flames up into the branches, lighting them aflame.

When Iroh realized what Nile was trying to do, he immediately tried to stop his friend. "Nile! What are you doing? Stop that right now!" The smoke sent Iroh into a fit of coughing.

"I'm protecting us!" Nile answered as he shot another flame into the air. "The wolves won't mess with us now!"

Nile wasn't wrong about that. Iroh could barely see the large beasts leaving through the smoke. They appeared to be in a hurry to get away. Iroh wished he could go with them. The roaring flames and the swirling smoke that shrouded everything already seemed like a worse fate than going to the wolves.

"Everyone! Run! Get away from the fire as fast as you can!" Iroh grabbed Nile by the collar. "Stop this now! You are starting a forest fire! You might have just killed us all!"

"I was just doing what you were, like you said to!" Nile retorted angrily. "Don't blame me for this. You started it!"

"Yes, I know!" Iroh said. "It was fine as long as it stayed low, but you got it into the trees! Now it will spread like crazy!"

Understanding dawned in Nile's eyes. "Oh spirits." He breathed. "What have I done?"

"We have to stop this now!" Iroh said, more forcefully than he intended. He privately wondered how someone who had gone through supposed wilderness training wouldn't realize he was starting a wildfire.

"Well, how are we supposed to stop it?" Nile asked irritably.

Iroh conceded that Nile had a point. How were they supposed to do anything about this? Even now the fire was spreading through the branches at an alarming rate. There wasn't much they could do to stop it.

Iroh got angry at himself. He was a Firebender! This was fire! If he couldn't stop this he didn't deserve the title of Firebender, let alone to be the Lord of them.

He would have to do something he had never tried before. He had heard tales of Firebenders that could absorb fire, but had never tried it himself. It was supposed to be highly dangerous. Iroh had heard that the real danger in the technique was the transfer of energy. If someone added too much energy to their body, they could literally explode.

Iroh took a deep breath, which he quickly regretted due to the smoke. He would just have to hope that his body could handle the energy of the fire. His friends needed him to do this, so he had to do it no matter what.

"Nile," he said softly. "Make sure that they get out of here unhurt. No matter what. Understand?"

Nile have him a look. "And what will you be doing?"

"I'll be taking care of this." Iroh answered. He coughed again. This smoke was terrible.

"No." Nile said fiercely. "You aren't about to sacrifice yourself. Come with me."

Iroh grinned. "Don't worry, Nile. I have no intention of dying here. Have some faith in me. I can do this."

Nile was torn between doing what he wanted to do, which was stay and help Iroh fight the fire, and what was needed of him, leading the others to safety. Finally he sighed and clasped Iroh into a hug. "You keep your promise, ok? We had better be laughing about this tomorrow." With one final glance, Nile ran off after the others.

Iroh forced himself to focus on the task at hand. How could he do this? He reached out with his senses and could almost _feel_ the fire above and around him. He found some that was close and kind of pulled with his Firebending. The flames abandoned their branch to go to Iroh. They swirled around his arm, where they entered his energy flow. He could feel the energy, the life of the flames enter his arm and settle in his chest. It felt amazing. He was no longer tired, no longer hot, yet at the same time he knew that holding this energy was dangerous. He cut off his absorbance of the flames. He couldn't take any more. He could literally feel it ready to explode at the slightest provocation.

As good as it felt, Iroh knew he couldn't take much more. Above him, a few of the charred trees had been put out, but many more still burned. Iroh couldn't take any more of the flame. It would kill him. Yet to save the forest he had to put out the rest of the fire. If only there was some way to get rid of what he had...

He could have slapped himself. Just use the energy to bend! He fired a flaming burst at the already ashen ground. It couldn't burn anymore, so it was a relatively safe spot to discharge the energy.

He grinned. He had found a way to beat this behemoth. But time was of the essence at the moment so perhaps it would be best to both absorb and get rid of the fire at the same time. Do both steps at once. Could he pull that off?

It occurred to Iroh that he might be the first person to ever try this. He had created a whole new technique. What should he call it? He settled on Flame Redirection. That was essentially what he was doing. Using his body as a conduit to redirect the flames where they would be harmless.

Using one arm to draw in the flames and the other to release them, Iroh stopped the wild fire. He could feel the energy flow from his arm down to his stomach, then from his stomach out the other arm. He didn't know how he knew, but he instinctively knew not to let the flames reach his heart. He would die.

The flames began to die down as Iroh sucked the life out of them, until all that remained were small patches of fire. Iroh had done it. He had saved the forest and all of the people that were in it.

He let out a small sigh of relief as he sank to his knees. He had done it, so now the others were safe. His vision grew blurry, and he fell down into the ash and burned, splintered twigs. He needed to rest for a bit.

_Is this what it's like to be a dragon?_ He wondered, as he drifted off to oblivion.

**I apologize if my conversation with myself creeped you out. I was bored, and that was kind of fun to do. Nothing more to it, really. So anyway, what did you guys think? If you liked it, or even if you didn't, you let me know. I wanna hear your thoughts on this. Favoriting and following wouldn't hurt either. And doing the same with my other stuff will make my Sith Master proud. I might get my lightsaber soon! **

**Ah, how I shamelessly advertise.**

**EAT COOKIES IN HONOR OF OUR LORD VADER!**


	16. Chapter 16- Arrival

**Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooooo again! Welcome back to another chapter! Its been a lot of fun writing this, and I hope yall have had fun reading it. So, lets not waste any time, shall we? Lets get on with the story. Enjoy!**

Chapter 16

Iroh woke to blinding lights.

They hurt his eyes. He didn't want to open them. It was way too bright wherever he was. He couldn't bear the pain of the lights. He didn't know why they hurt, but they did.

Where was he? He began to wonder how he had gotten to such a bright place. Where had he been last? It had been a forest, hadn't it? Yeah, it had been nice and dark. So much better than being overly bright. That hurt. The dark didn't.

But wait! Hadn't there been a fire? Shouldn't it have been bright in the forest too? Why hadn't it been? Oh wait. He remembered now. He had put the fire out, making it nice and dark again. He had taken away the lights, and then it hadn't hurt anymore. With the mystery solved, Iroh let himself relax.

But those nagging questions came back to him. Where was he? Why was it bright? How had he gotten here?

Knowing he would probably regret it, Iroh opened his eyes. Just as he had feared, he ended up wishing he hadn't.

It burned. It didn't just hurt, like he thought it would. _It burned_. He couldn't take the brightness. He tried to close his eyes but found that he couldn't. All he could do was suffer silently, unable to escape the horrible lights.

Hoping to get away from the burn, Iroh tried to move. But as hard as he tried he couldn't even move an inch. He was completely stuck. He noticed for the first time that he was lying on his stomach. How had he gotten like this? He couldn't come up with an answer. Why was everything so confusing here?

So he was stuck there, lying on the ground, unmoving, burning. He could do nothing but suffer.

Right when Iroh thought he was about to lose his sanity he heard a whisper. Iroh rejoiced. The whisper was nothing to him, but it gave him something to focus on other than the intense burning. It was his salvation.

The whisper got louder, closer. He couldn't make out what it was saying, but he didn't really care. All that mattered was that it let him concentrate on something other than the blinding pain to his eyes. He couldn't care beyond that.

Even still, he couldn't help but notice that it continued to grow louder. He couldn't make out what it was. For some reason he couldn't fathom at the moment Iroh became curious as to what was being said. He listened closer, but couldn't make out words. Just whispers. Whispers out in this burning light where he lay unable to move. How weird.

Iroh began to realize that it was more than one whisper. There were two. Two voices, whispering to each other. Iroh wondered who they were. Who in their right mind would spend their time in this horrible, burning light? It was madness. No, it was _fire_, he realized.

Fire. That explained the light. It explained the burning. _Fire_. Yes, he must be on fire. He must have burned putting out the fire in the forest. That was the only thing that made sense to him. Was he dead? Probably. A fitting end. The Prince of Fire done in by fire. Iroh would have laughed at that had he been able to.

But then why the whispers?

They were loud enough now that he began to make out words. One voice was deep, so deep that it must be a massive monster of a man. Iroh had never heard any voice rumble quite like that. The other voice, by contrast, was as high and light as Iroh could possibly imagine. It was as if pure feminism had been rolled up into one single sound. Both voices were soothing and beautiful in their own way, while also being scary and alien. But they melted together beautifully, creating a pure song just out of their whispers alone.

It was his one solace in this world of fire and pain.

"...Lord..." The deep one said.

"...Good, he..." Said the shrill one.

"...Fire has done..."

"Never... His father..."

"But he is...For this."

"I know... Can't allow that..."

"...must remain... And strong..."

They were getting closer, easier to hear. He could almost make out full sentences.

"What he will become... It is very important."

"He is one of the few that...dragons."

"That is true, but... The Avatar."

Avatar? Iroh recognized that word. But from where he couldn't remember. He forced himself to stop thinking and listen.

"Yes. There he is. Right there." The deep voice said. "I told you he would be here."

"Yes, it is true." Answered the shrill voice. "It is Iroh, son of Azulon, grandson of Sozin." The voice paused. "And brother of Ozai."

"Oh, so then he must be the uncle of-"

"Yes. That is what that means."

"Very interesting. Do you think he knows? How important he will be?"

"I highly doubt that. Humans rarely know the answers to anything."

"Interesting. So this is the man they will call the Dragon of the West. One of only two people to ever win Ba Sing Se by force. He will be a legend."

"Yes his impact will be felt for many generations. Even Avatar Korra and Master Jinora claim to see him in the Spirit World, long after he will have passed."

The deep voiced person sounded surprised. "But that is impossible! Even the Spirits cannot raise the dead! What kind of power is he, to beat death?"

"You would have to ask him that." The light voiced person said with a beautiful chuckle. "But not yet, of course."

Suddenly the world turned black. The fire disappeared, the light died. The pain remained, and Iroh still couldn't move, but now he was back in the nice, safe darkness.

It took him a moment to realize what had happened. He figured out that there was something blocking the light. It was still there, but now there was something blocking the way, protecting him. It was them, he realized. Two figures stood over him, studying him. Iroh tried to make out what they looked like, but he was still blinded from the lights. He tried to say something, but only a croak came out.

"Did you hear that? He's awake!" Shouted the one with the deep voice. "What do we do? He wasn't supposed to be awake! What kind of freak is he? No human should be capable of this."

The one with the shrill voice didn't answer, but merely raised their leg and kicked. The last thing Iroh saw was a boot rushing towards his face.

Iroh woke to darkness.

He gasped, remembering the weird dream that he had just experienced. Already the details were fading, but he could still clearly remember the burning his eyes had endured. Carefully he reached up and felt around his right eye. It still felt normal, as though it had never been burned. It had just been a dream.

"Hey! He's awake!" Said a voice in Iroh's ear. He looked around. He realized someone was holding him up, much as he had carried Mylo before. It was that other Fire Nation boy. The one who had been running away from the eagle wolves. What was he doing here?

He looked around some more and saw Nile slightly ahead of them on the path, carrying Satsudi. Mylo was off to the side, very unsteady on her feet. They were all here. Iroh looked around. It was still very dark and the trees looked unburnt, so Iroh assumed that it was still night and that he had been successful in putting out the forest fire. More importantly, it meant he had survived.

"Good to see you back among the living, Iroh." Nile said.

"That was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen." Mylo remarked. "But it worked, I'll give you that."

Iroh smiled. "I was lucky. That was all it came down to. I was lucky."

"Too true." Said the guy holding Iroh up. "I am amazed that what you pulled worked."

"Who are you?" Iroh asked.

"My name is Rosce." The other boy said. Rosce was very tall, but was still slightly smaller than Iroh by being very skinny. This forced Rosce to have to stoop to carry Iroh around. Not wanting to be a burden, Iroh got onto his own feet, nodding to Rosce in appreciation.

"Good to meet you officially." Iroh said. "I wish it could have been under better circumstances, though."

Rosce nodded. "Agreed."

"So how long was I out?" Iroh asked. Were they close to the base yet?

"You were out for a few hours." Mylo answered. "We were starting to get worried about you not waking up."

Iroh wobbled forward unsteadily. After what he had accomplished with the fire he didn't have much in the way of energy at the moment. "Well I'm glad I did. I want to see this through."

"You're in luck." Nile said cheerfully. "You woke up just in time. I think we are almost at the base."

That news was music to Iroh's ears. It had been quite the eventful day. He just wanted it to be over with as soon as he could. His body wasn't quite as eager to be moving as he was. He lurched forward step by step at a snail's pace. The others weren't doing any better. They were all battered, fatigued, near defeat. But Iroh could see in their eyes a strength. They weren't done and they weren't going to quit until they were. They could smell victory on the horizon and they would hunt it down like an eagle wolf. Iroh was proud of his friends.

And that was how they discovered the massive Fire Nation fort. The forest suddenly disappeared around the road leaving only and open field in between them and their goal. They limped step by step, getting closer, until the gigantic walls loomed overhead. Atop the walls Iroh could see a host of archers aiming weapons at them should they prove to be enemies. Iroh and the others waited in front of the doors, hoping they would be allowed inside. Finally after what seemed like forever the doors parted, allowing the soldiers in training inside.

Lieutenant Wu stood just inside, arms crossed. He was flanked by six Firebenders. Iroh and the others approached as fast as they could in their condition and each fell to a knee before their superior officer.

Wu regarded them with an emotionless face. Iroh began to worry. Wu had never mentioned a time limit before, but that didn't mean there wouldn't be. In fact, he could come up with any number of reasons to fail them. Iroh would be devastated if they had failed. They had put too much into this to not have been successful. They had to have made it. If not...

Lieutenant Wu's mouth twitched, then formed the slightest of smiles. "You are the second group to make it here. Including you five, twelve of you punks made it. That's pretty good. I doubt any of the others will make it here. I'll have to go rescue them at sunrise. But you guys, you made it. Congratulations."

An intense flood of relief washed over Iroh. He didn't know if he had ever heard happier words. They had made it!

Without a moment to waste, Iroh slumped forward, unconscious.

**Yes, I realize that Iroh has been knocked out three times in two chapters. Don't judge me! I wont make a habit of it, I promise. Anyway, I feel like pointing out to yall the weird effect my writing ends up having on me. Other writers, if you have this problem, I feel your pain. The problem is that in this and other stuff I have written I keep ending up drawing things out. This trek through the forest wasn't supposed to take up three chapters, and I feel like I spent a little too long on the ship. Somehow these things take longer than I originally plan, and while I'm proud that I can fill content, I feel like the story is moving a lot slower than what I had planned. To show you what I mean, consider the fact that I plan to take this up to the start of the show. In 16 chapters I have barely gotten a week in and its likely to keep slowing down. So what I want to say is, this story will probably end up being VERY long and I want to ask you to just be ready for that. I hope you will stay with me the long haul, but if you don't want to then I understand. I hope you do though. In other news, I heard recently that Shamalyon(I spelled this horribly, ugh!) is planning to attack our fandom once more. This scares me a lot. Consider how much damage he did with just one movie. If we give him a second chance he could destroy us all. This is his Sozin's Comet, as it were. So be prepared. One last insignificant thing. My birthday will be on the 27****th**** and since it is unlikely that I will be able to get another chapter in before then I figured I should tell you now. Any wellwishes would be greatly appreciated, along with very expensive gifts and lots of money. Jk about that last part. Well, I hope you all are doing well, and I hope that fortune smiles upon you. Especially if you have joined the Sith like I asked you to. See ya!**


	17. Chapter 17- Taku Base

**Welcome back! I am so, so sorry it took so long to get this out. I know it's a poor excuse but the reason this chapter took so long is because Gravity Falls (I highly recommend this show it is absolutely amazing) will be ending soon so I wanted to post exclusively to my Gravity Falls story as tribute. I was guilty, and decided I would squeeze this chapter in among all of those so you guys didn't feel neglected. But late as it is, the chapter is here! And it even brings back a familiar face, which I think you all will enjoy. Hope you like it!**

Chapter 17

Iroh woke up with an aching pain in his jaw. He groaned, rubbing it. He sat up, feeling the mattress shift below him. Wait! A mattress?

Iroh looked around, finding himself in an unfamiliar room. There were other beds, lining up the walls. One of them, the one next to his own, was occupied by Mylo. "Hey." He muttered to his friend, causing a small pain in his jaw.

"Iroh! You're up!" Mylo exclaimed. She clasped him on the shoulder. "You've been out for like a day."

"What happened? Last thing I remember was going to the base. Is that where we are?"

"Yeah. When we got in you just collapsed. Right on your face. If we hadn't been worried about you then we all would have been laughing. It was kinda funny. Anyway, that Lieutenant guy showed us to our barracks. The other three have those beds, since we all showed up together, and there are four guys who have been here a little while." Mylo pointed to each of the beds in turn. "That bed by the door belongs to the recruit who's been here longest. I can't remember his name, but you should know that he doesn't mess around. He's technically in charge of us, so don't get on his bad side."

Iroh nodded. He hadn't expected to be taking orders from another recruit, but it wasn't the end of the world. It was something he could live with. As long as this guy wasn't like Zarai then they should be able to get along.

"So has anyone told you what we are supposed to expect now that we're here?" He asked.

Mylo shrugged. "Not much. All I know is that today is free for us and the work starts tomorrow. Our leader guy should tell us what's up when he gets back."

Iroh nodded slowly. He expected that they would start with basic training, making sure everyone knew which side of a spear to use and such. But if he were training them, he would eventually separate the Firebenders from the normal ones. Everyone knew that Firebending was the single most valuable trait a soldier could have, so it was vital to get as many as possible trained competently to fight. Iroh doubted he would have many problems with that, but Mylo's Firebending was still quite weak. She didn't had much control yet, and their superiors might not have patience for her lack of development. Iroh was worried about his friend's chances if she revealed to them that she could Firebend. It might be better for Mylo's new bending to remain a secret. What little she had might only get her in trouble. She could train with the non-bending recruits, and Iroh could help her develop her Firebending in secret like back on the ship. It would be harder now that they shared a room with several other people, but they could find a system. Then, when the time was right, they could show the Lieutenant or someone what Mylo could do and she could join Iroh and the other benders.

"Earth to Iroh." Mylo said, waving her hand in front of his face. "Which part of the wall did you find so interesting?"

"I was thinking." Iroh said curtly. "I don't think you should tell anyone that you can Firebend."

Mylo gave him a quizzical look. "Why? Isn't that how I would get training? Training that I need?"

"Look, Mylo, if they find out that you can Firebend, they are going to train you with Firebenders like Zarai, like Nile, like me. Not to belittle the progress you've made, but you are a little out of your league."

"So?" Mylo asked, peeved. "I don't care if I have a handicap. I always have. I'd learn a lot more from going against people who are good than not training at all."

"No, I could still train you." Iroh said, realizing that she wasn't going to agree with him at this rate. "Just like old times."

"And you really believe you can train me better than the professionals here?"

"Well...no...but you have to realize that when they see how little that you can do, they might not have the patience to train you. They might view you as a lost cause."

Mylo gave him a look, crossing her arms. "Iroh, why are you really trying to keep this up? We both know that excuse was bullshit. Why are you trying to keep that going?"

Iroh was at a loss for words. Looking at his own arguments, he had to admit that they were pretty lousy. Just mere delusions he had cast upon himself. But why would he do that? Mylo was right, there was something going on here. "I-I don't know."

Mylo was silent for a moment, regarding him like he was some sort of rare bug. "Iroh...do you like me?"

It felt like a stone dropped in his stomach. That was it! He realized that she was onto something here. He had feelings for her. Now that she had pointed it out, he could see that they were there. Dammit, what was wrong with him? He couldn't do this. "Oh god..." This was why he had wanted to keep the private lessons with her. So they could spend time together. How had he not seen it before?

He felt a wave of shame. He had almost let his feelings, feelings that he hadn't known were there, get in the way of her future. He couldn't believe himself. One of his grandfather's favorite lessons for his grandsons had been to control their feelings, not be controlled by them. He had failed in that. He wasn't ready to live up to Sozin's legacy.

"I'm so sorry, Mylo." He said, putting his head into his hands. "I almost put your career in jeopardy. I can't-"

Suddenly the door opened and three guys walked in. One of them, clearly the leader, quickly glanced around the room, turning his attention to Iroh and Mylo. The other two stood behind this guy, flanking him.

The leader was tall and solidly built, with a soldier's physique. Everything about his seemed as proper and precise as a person could get. Iroh could see why the commanders had put him in charge here.

"My name is Jeong Jeong." He said, holding out a hand. His smile didn't extend to his very serious eyes. "I am in charge of this room." Iroh shook his hand. Jeong Jeong had a rock hard grip.

"Now, I already had a talk with the other three newbies in the mess hall. That just leaves you two." He paused a moment before continuing. "I'll put it bluntly. We are a unit of soldiers. Make no mistake about that. We will train, we will work, and it will hurt a lot. You will do everything that is asked of you, even if you don't like it. Are we clear?"

Iroh and Mylo both nodded.

"You," he said, pointing at Mylo, "Are a scrawny prick. I've seen plenty of people like you come through here, and most quit. I'm hoping you won't be one of them. Some made it through, so there is still hope for someone like you. Now if you quit, I won't lose any sleep over it. We will be just fine without you. I'd rather have one less comrade than one who will break when things get tough. If you aren't willing to put in the work here, then you should leave. I expect you to be able to go as hard as anyone here, including me. If you don't have what it takes to become a soldier then you have no reason to be here and we can send you off to pick crops or something. If you can't do this then you're out. No second chances, no allowances. Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes." Mylo said sourly.

"Now get out of here. Go eat before the food is gone. Trust me, you're going to need it if you want to survive tomorrow. You two go as well." He said to the two behind him. He nodded to Iroh. "You stay."

Mylo and the other two left, Mylo giving Iroh one last look before walking through the door.

"What's this about?" Iroh asked when they were alone.

"I know who you are, Prince Iroh." Jeong Jeong said. Iroh was surprised. He knew that plenty of the actual officers here would know who he really was, but he didn't think anyone would tell a recruit. He realized that the commanders here must trust this guy more than he had thought.

"Yes, I am the prince." Iroh said, not sure what this guy wanted from him.

"My father is a commander." Jeong Jeong said. "He was born poor, entered the military, and over time worked his way into a commanding position. There is no one who has earned what he has more than he did, and there is no one I respect more in the world." His eyes narrowed. "Meanwhile your father was born a prince, was given a military, and held the power of a nation just for breathing." There were obvious traces of contempt in his voice.

"Like I said before, I will be blunt. I don't like royal types. You are put above us just because your daddy has some money, and he has convinced people that they should treat him like a god. You don't have to work for a single thing, and expect people to handle the hard parts of life for you. But those little facts are nothing compared to how you treat people. You royalty truly believe that you are better than the rest of us, and it's disgusting. As though we are there for you to order around, to please you. I hate it. But now fate goes and delivers one of you right into my lap." He smiles. "Now I'm the one with the power over you."

His smile slowly slips away. "But I'm not going to abuse it. I'm not going to stoop to your level. My dad raised me better than that. Iroh, I will treat you as though you were just like any other recruit. Understand?"

Iroh was relieved. Jeong Jeong obviously wasn't a fan of him, and to hear that he wasn't going to bully him because of it was good to know. But Iroh didn't believe he was out of the clear by any means here. "Yes, sir. I understand."

"But don't forget that when I say that I will treat you like the other recruits I mean it. I expect you to work just as hard as everyone else out there. No shortcuts in this place, no matter who you are. Your cushy lifestyle is over from now on. Are we clear?"

"Very." Iroh answered. "And I'm going to prove you wrong. Just because I was born a prince doesn't mean I feel entitled. I'll do everything I have to and more. Are we clear?"

Jeong Jeong stared at him for a moment. Then he nodded. "I believe we are. Dismissed." He laid down on his bed and closed his eyes. Iroh left the other recruit to his rest.

So that was how it was going to be. Jeong Jeong thought that since Iroh had been born a prince that he couldn't work, didn't understand how to earn things. Iroh vowed that he would prove him wrong. He didn't want to be known as just another spoiled prince. He would be the kind of leader that shared in his people's hardships.

After a little bit of exploring Iroh finally found the mess hall. Nile, Satsudi, and Mylo were sitting at a table. The first two had finished the food and were chatting while Mylo was eating. Iroh got his food and sat down next to Satsudi. Mylo gave him a glance but didn't say anything.

After both Mylo and Iroh were finished they walked around the base, showing Iroh the points of interest they had seen earlier today. The armory was interesting, as were the training yard and the walls. The latrines he could have lived without seeing.

As they were walking back to the barracks, Mylo whispered too him, "We need to talk."

"Fine." He whispered back. "Talk away."

"First of all, I am going to tell them that I can Firebend. I can do this, I don't care if I get beat up along the way. I'm set on this and there is nothing you can say to convince me otherwise."

"Ok." He said softly.

"Second of all, you can't like me. You just can't. Neither of us can afford this. If they find out I'm a girl because you do something stupid then I will be kicked out of here. If you have feelings kill them now, for both of our sakes. Please."

"Ok." he said with a sigh. "I can do that." He didn't feel as confident as he sounded.

Her expression softened. "Lastly, if you want, we can keep doing the private lessons. I've learned a lot about Firebending from you, and I think that even if I keep learning from the Firebenders here it will help to learn from you too."

"I'd like that." He whispered. "So we're cool?"

"Yeah. We're cool."

"Good."

"Well, I guess that's a plan."

"Yep."

Their whispers trailed off awkwardly.

When they got back to the barracks Nile pointed out that there were three other rooms with recruits. One of those held Zarai and his friends, Iroh knew. He doubted that Zarai was done with him.

He walked into his own room and sat onto his bed. He glanced over at Jeong Jeong. The more seasoned recruit was sleeping. Iroh sighed. Between Jeong Jeong and Zarai he would have to watch his step very carefully. Either one of them could make his time here lot harder.

But at least he was here. He was starting a new chapter in his life, with new friends at his side. He was going to be a soldier now. He vowed to himself, something he had been doing a lot of today, that he would become a great soldier. A legend, even. He wanted to leave a legacy so that his son someday could be proud of what he had accomplished. Like Jeong Jeong's dad, he noticed. He wanted to inspire someone like that someday.

He smiled. That was definitely something to shoot for.

**So what do you guys think of that? Jeong Jeong is here, and the beginnings of the White Lotus has been set. Yeah! Anyway, it's taken 17 chapters and almost 50,000 words, but we are finally going to have a time jump. I don't want to go over every single day of Iroh's life, so these will definitely be used in the future of this story. Hope you don't mind. In other news, I have been developing a story idea for a Pokémon story. It's going to be very conspiracy theory/plot twisty, and I have a big chunk of the plot figured out, but I would love to hear some ideas from you guys on some things. The protagonist is a fifteen year old girl starting her Pokémon adventure. Yes, I know traditionally its ten year olds, but let's be honest it's pretty stupid to let your ten year old kid travel a world full of supernatural monsters with only a pidgey to protect him. So anyway, if you guys have any suggestions for a name, personality, backstory, and starter Pokémon then let me know. The starter doesn't have to be one of the conventional starters btw. I've been leaning towards Duskull at this point because it's fucking awesome, but I'm happy to take suggestions. So if you guys have anything just let me know, I would be very grateful. Now be sure to fave, follow, review, check out my other stories, yaddayaddayadda. Til next time!**

**P.S. It's a couple days late but Happy Halloween! I actually saw a group of kids dressed as the Gaang and that was awesome. There was a tiny Aang, a tiny Sokka, a tiny Toph, and a tiny Zuko. Idk why there wasn't a Katara, I guess they just ran out of kids. Love to hear what you guys dressed up as if you dressed up. It's cool if you didn't, no expectations here. I was Darth Vader btw.**


	18. Chapter 18- Life of a Soldier

**100 years passed, and now I have emerged from the iceberg. Just kidding, it was about three months. Either way, I must apologize deeply for being gone so long. I never intended for it to take this long to post a new chapter. I will admit that I intended there to be a hiatus, because we had reached a big time jump in the story and because I wanted to concentrate on my Gravity Falls story because it will be ending soon (February 15****th****!) but I NEVER intended for it to be anything like this. I'll be honest, writing wise the back half of December and all of January were horrible for me. Not saying that they were horrible, but writing wise they were. I got NOTHING done and I feel horrible about it. I feel like I let down you guys who have been following me, you guys who haven't but still bothered to read, and especially myself. I feel like I can do better, and I should be. I will try to be better at getting my stuff taken care of in the future. Now, this big hiatus wasn't all bad. I practiced more on my romantic writing by RPing with a friend, so hopefully I have improved on that front. The hiatus also gave me time to plan ahead for my stories going forward. I know have more of a plan as far as the storyline, as well as a plan moving forward with posting. I will be trying to post a chapter every Tuesday starting on the 23****rd**** with my Harry Potter story (Not counting this, a Gravity Falls chapter on the 15****th ****, and a Star Wars one shot on May 4****th**** ), and I will alternate between my three ongoing stories. That means I SHOULD be posting a chapter of this every three weeks. Now, this assumes that I will keep up with this schedule and I'll be honest that it isn't that likely. But I will try. And who knows? Maybe I will be able to keep up. We'll find out I guess.**

**Now that we are caught up on things, let's get to the story!**

Chapter 18

Iroh breathed deeply, just like had been drilled to do for the past few months. Wu was adamant in his teachings about technique and he had forced it upon all of his students whether they wanted it or not. Some students had been resistant to his teachings, and others had been more open to learning. It hadn't come easy to any of them. But Iroh knew firsthand that after the first month following Lieutenant Wu's teachings had become easy, and after another couple of months they had become second nature. Now, though, they were apart of him.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Feel the heat transfer with your breathing. Feel the heat in your every heartbeat. Inside you. But most importantly, feel the heat being given to you. Feel it soaking into the skin, from the Sun to your heart. Use it.

Breathe in. Iroh grinned, feeling the fire within him grow to its breaking point. He didn't know what it was like for other benders, but he doubted they had any idea what it was like to hold the pure power of fire within you. It was like nothing else. It was indescribable.

Breathe out.

He launched a vicious burst of flame at his opponent, who blocked it just like Iroh knew he would. A fireball was thrown at him, but Iroh had already moved. The other Firebender tried to track Iroh's attack but his eyes couldn't keep up with Iroh's speed. Iroh delivered a brutal roundhouse kick that send his opponent flying backwards and skidding across the dirt.

For a moment Iroh was worried that he had seriously hurt the other fighter, but was relieved to hear a groan as Nile ripped off his padded practice helmet and sat up.

Iroh grinned at his friend. "And my winning streak continues! It's been eleven matches now that you have been unable to take me down. Most men would have given up hope by now."

"I guess I'm just too stubborn." Nile said gruffly, getting to his feet. "I'm going to kick your ass one of these times, and then all of this will have been worth it." They laughed it off, heading over to the benches where several of the other cadets were watching the sparring matches.

Satsudi sat alone reading a scroll. A handful more lay at his feet. Iroh and Nile joined him, watching the next pair of combatants square off. In the past few months Iroh had gotten close to his friends, and had learned a lot about them. Nile liked to bluster and act tough like he didn't care about people, but actually held his friends dear to his heart. He was a former bully back in his home village since he had been larger than most of the other kids and a Firebender to boot. Satsudi had actually been one of his favorite targets for harassment. Nile had spent years as one of Satsudi's most feared classmates.

But then everything changed when the Fire Nation recruited. They had been the only two taken to be troops from their town, and they were all each other so they leaned on each other for support and eventually became friends. Then they had met and befriended Mylo and after that Iroh.

Since, the four of them and the one hundred or so other recruits had gone through grueling training, both becoming stronger physically and becoming disciplined soldiers. The second day there Iroh and Mylo had told Lieutenant Wu about the development of Mylo's Firebending. He had been surprised at first, and had led them to the commander of the base, a very old general named Rane. Instead of being mad, Rane had been amused by the surprising news. He had allowed Mylo to join the ranks of the Firebender trainees, where she would train with Iroh and Nile. Iroh had felt a pang of guilt for leaving Satsudi alone, but it was insignificant compared to his happiness to have his friend with him.

Mylo had become quite skilled in her Firebending since she began her training, and she had gained a control over her power that had even surpassed Iroh's. In the months that had passed since they had arrived here she had done things with fire that Iroh could have never dreamed of. The only problem with it was that she was a very weak bender. She had little fire to work with and had to be creative to make up for that difficult weakness. Iroh wanted to feel sorry for her limitations, but it was hard to do when they had led her to find amazing ways to use what gifts she had.

"I've been reading up on ancient Firebending techniques." Mylo had told him excitedly a couple of months ago. "And I discovered that centuries ago there was a technique known as the Firewhip. Do you realize what this means?"

Iroh had just shaken his head.

"The technique the Waterbenders use today is actually stolen!" Mylo had been absolutely ecstatic for discovering this, while Iroh had been unsure of whether it really mattered or not. He wasn't going to tell his friend that, however. He didn't want to ruin Mylo's fun.

Mylo had even started developing her own style of Firebending combat. It revolved around small bursts of flame moving quickly and precisely to hit the enemy's weakness, along with including a lot of hand to hand techniques. In the times they had sparred it had proved to be surprisingly effective and extremely hard to stop. The main problem with the style was that even though it was a very effective way to beat time tested defenses and held the element of surprise, it held very little for defense and required a lot of movement. Thus it wasn't useful if trapped in a corner or if Mylo's opponent was capable of keeping her at a distance. They were working on coming up with a counter for this, ranging from an assortment of distractions to literal shields that attach to the forearms. It was still a work in progress.

But that wasn't the only thing that Mylo and Iroh had developed. Even though he knew it was a huge risk, Iroh couldn't help but to have fallen in love with his room mate. His attraction to her had developed over the first few weeks of their training. Then about a month and a half after they had arrived he confessed about how he was feeling. She had been quite surprised, then surprised him by saying that she felt the same way. Then they had awkwardly kissed, both extremely embarrassed.

It had been an even more awkward couple of days after that. They had for the most part avoided each other every time they could, Mylo blushing and hurrying away. Iroh felt bad feeling like he had ruined everything. Then one night he had gone to the exclusive spot that they used to practice Firebending at night in hopes that she would be there. And she was.

"Mylo… Nya... you're here…." Iroh had breathed out nervously. "You came back. I thought you were mad at me."

"Mad?" Mylo asked, surprised. "Why would I be mad at you? No, I was embarrassed. I've been afraid to see you because I didn't know if I would be able to talk to you like a normal person instead of babbling like an idiot. I was afraid I would do something stupid and you wouldn't like me anymore."

Iroh almost laughed. How could she think that she would be the one to embarrass him? That was just crazy. "Never. You don't embarrass me at all. I really really like you. I like seeing you, I like spending time with you. These past couple of days have been scary for me. I thought I scared you away from me."

Mylo laughed, something Iroh hadn't realized he had missed quite so much. A silence followed, as both regarded the other.

Mylo finally broke the silence by asking, "So what are we now? "

Iroh chuckled. "I don't know. What do you want to be?"

Mylo blushed slightly. "What I want to be is practically impossible as how things stand now."

"What is it?"

"I want to be," Mylo glanced down nervously. "with you. Like in a relationship. But that can't happen."

Before Iroh realized what he was saying the words were out of his mouth. "Maybe it can."

Mylo perked up, surprised. "What are you saying?" She asked, lip quivering slightly.

"I know its stupid, and it probably won't work out, but I don't care. Mylo, will you go out with me?"

She froze like one of the many statutes Iroh had seen of his ancestors. She was unable to find words for a moment before finally choking out, "But-but how? We can't."

Iroh took a very deep breath. "Maybe we can in secret."

"Are you crazy?" Mylo asked him. "How are we supposed to hide this?"

"Well you've been hiding that you are a girl." Iroh pointed out. "This really isn't very different. So would you be willing to?"

Mylo pondered for a moment. Then she smiled at Iroh. "I really don't think that this will work, but yes, I will. I will go out with you." Then she leaned forward and their lips met.

Iroh was in heaven. Somehow something so ordinary as skin meeting felt so good. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close and they kissed some more. Finally, they broke away, breathing heavy.

"Wow." Iroh said, in disbelief.

"D-did you like it?" she asked worriedly. She was tracing a circle with her finger on Iroh's back, and he wondered if she even knew she was doing it.

"Yes, definitely." He answered. "That was amazing."

"So I guess we are a thing now." She said softly.

"Yes." Iroh said with a chuckle. "I guess so."

Mylo frowned. "Iroh, are we making a mistake?"

Iroh considered it for a moment. "Maybe. We might be making a mistake. But I do want this. I want to be with you. So I would rather make a potential mistake and be with you than to not and always wonder."

"I know what you mean." She said. Then she laughed suddenly. "This is really happening. Wow."

Iroh laughed himself. "Yes. It really is."

Thus their relationship started. In the months following they would meet in secret to continue helping Mylo train, but they also used that time to be together. They had almost been caught when Jeong Jeong questioned where they were going at nights. They had told him of Mylo asking Iroh to give her additional practice at Firebending to help her get better at it. Reluctantly he had accepted it and allowed them to continue, albeit with the understanding that if an officer caught them then they were on their own.

Iroh and Mylo had accepted that gratefully, glad he found them Firebending and not something more intimate.

Months passed, and no one had discovered a thing. Iroh had only grown to love her more and more as time passed. She had become his best friend, his girlfriend, and he had never been so happy. All of those years of living in power and prosperity had never given him what he truly wanted. Someone he could love and be loved by.

"Well you can act as tough as you want, Iroh, but not even you can beat Jeong Jeong so be quiet!" Nile said with a grin.

"Well at least I can beat Satsudi." Iroh fired back at his friend.

"Oh come on!" Nile exclaimed. "You can't even claim that! You two are pretty much even, so don't claim you are better unless you can back it up!"

"Be quiet, Nile." Satsudi said, flustered. "I'm trying to read."

"Sorry, buddy." Nile said quietly.

"Well I can beat him sometimes, and sometimes he beats me." Iroh said. "It's still more than you have, Nile."

"Ouch." Nile said, grabbing at his chest. "You got me there. Ah, that was harsh."

Iroh laughed, and got an annoyed glance from Satsudi for being too loud. Suddenly there was a shout. "Iroh! Hey Iroh! Come here!"

Mylo was in the distance waving to Iroh.

"Why can't anyone just be quiet?" Satsudi asked. "Is it that hard?"

Iroh got up and walked to where Mylo was, and followed her as she rounded a corner. As soon as he walked around the corner and was out of sight of everyone else, she grabbed him and pulled him in to a passionate kiss. He loved the familiar way their lips met, the way their arms knew just how to hold each other. He hoped it could never end.

But, as always, it had to. They broke apart, glancing around. It was always important to never be caught.

"Hey, Mylo." Iroh said to her with a smile. "Was that what you wanted to show me?"

She grinned. "You know it." They laughed, but their laughter was cut short when they heard a loud noise nearby.

They quickly separated, in case there was someone there. "What was that?" Mylo asked quietly.

"I'm not sure." Iroh answered. "But it sounded like it might have come from over by the wall. We should check it out, make sure a sentry didn't fall off or something." Mylo nodded her agreement and they jogged their way over to the noise.

What they found was one of the last things Iroh expected to see there. A giant hole was in the wall, and coming through were several people dressed in all black clothes, complete with masks.

"What the hell?" Iroh remarked.

Then one of the masked men saw the duo and pointed, shouting. The others assumed battle ready positions. The first one motioned with his hands and a few of the crumbled bricks that were once a part of the wall rose.

"Earthbenders." Iroh breathed.

The bricks shot forward at near impossible speeds. Iroh didn't react fast enough to dodge. They raced towards him, and he winced.

Suddenly he was shoved to the side. He turned his head to see Mylo gracefully evade the projectiles. They wheeled back around for another strike. A small fireball heated up in Mylo's left hand she used that to destroy each brick in turn.

It's working, Iroh thought. He scrambled to his feet. "Earthbenders!" He shouted as loud as he could. "We are under attack!"

Breathe in. Breathe out.

He felt the flames light up in his palms. If it was a fight they wanted, then they would get it.

With a roar he launched a fireball at the invaders.

**I tried to set up a lot of parallels with my first chapter on here, because not only is this the return from the hiatus and the return from the time jump, but today is also the one-year anniversary of when I started this story! And since this was my debut story, today is also the anniversary of me writing fan fiction. WHOO HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ME! Yay. Well, I have to say that it has been one heck of a year for me, most of which I'm not going to talk about here because this is the internet and I'm not stupid. But writing here has truly been a pleasure, and I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. I don't know if I've mentioned it already, but I plan to be an author later on in life, so to hone my skills and to have something to show off to publishers, I can write this. And why not? I get to write about stories and characters I love. I truly enjoy it and I hope y'all have too. So if you have liked this story, or at the very least support me in pursuing my dreams, please fave, follow and leave a review. It means a lot to me, it really does. And to those who have, thank you so much. Sometimes it's just incredible to make something and to have someone tell you that its good. Every follow and fave, every word spoken in the reviews have meant so much to me and they inspire me to keep moving forward with this. Thank you. Now, if you like my writing and would like to see more, I have three more stories (one is on indefinite hiatus for now) and two one shots you can check out. And if you remember, I mentioned that I had a Pokémon story in the works that will be released somewhat soon. I am open to suggestions about anything you guys might want to add in. Also, if you get on YouTube, which I'm sure a fair number of you do, go check out The Loveless Gamer. He's a good friend of mine and does awesome game reviews as well as a few lets plays with his friends (including me). I promise it is actually really good, and no I'm not going to mention a mixtape or anything haha. I have to draw the line somewhere on my shameless self-promotion. Well, I have rambled on A LOT so I should be going. It's' good to be back! Take care! Join the Dark Side!**


	19. Chapter 19- Under Attack

Chapter 19

Iroh dodged attack after attack, letting his body fall into the instincts it had developed over the past few months. It was all he could do to stay alive. These Earthbenders were quite good, and Iroh was being pushed against the ropes. He was taking on three at once, and so was Mylo. To her credit, she was handling her three a bit better than Iroh was.

Iroh frantically tried to figure out how he could turn this battle around. He ducked, dove, and blocked as a swarm of rocks were heading in his direction. He had to do something. Anything at all. All he was doing right now was dodging and evading, like the Airbenders of old. But Iroh had learned a long time ago that a Firebender wasn't suited to such tactics. A Firebender was meant to be attacking, always on offense. A Firebender was supposed to pressure their foe until they cracked. Then, of course, fire does what it does best.

So he needed to find a way to create an opening so he could attack again. But how? All he could do was dodge and block, he didn't have time for anything else. So dodge and block were his only options. It was a good thing that those were good ways to get an opening. He barely dodged around a particularly large rock, then shot flames at the ground in front of him, creating a large blast of dirt. This made for a temporary cover where they could not see him, so he took the chance to run to one side and throw a few fireballs at his opponents, forcing them back on the defensive. But Iroh knew that wouldn't last long, not when it was three on one.

"Iroh!" Mylo shouted at him. "There are thirteen of them!"

Iroh couldn't fathom how she could have possibly had the chance to count their enemy. "So?" He shouted back in between dodges. "That's still way more than two!"

"They can't invade here with just thirteen men! They have to be here for something else!"

Iroh didn't see why that mattered, since whether it was thirteen or three hundred men he and Mylo were screwed. He didn't answer her, instead choosing to answer the stones that were flying his way.

They fought valiantly, but the numbers game was catching up fast. One rock hit Iroh in the knee, sending him rolling to the ground, clutching his leg in pain. With him out of the equation, his opponents were able to use their now six-to-one odds take down Mylo as well.

"Hurry, let's finish them." One said to his companions. "If we don't they will hurt the war effort later on."

The closest Earthbender to Iroh nodded, and lifted a rock into the air, making it float over Iroh's head. With a downward swiping motion the rock dropped down at high velocity. Iroh barely managed to roll out of the way as the rock smashed into the ground where Iroh's head had been.

"Subdue him!" the one who had talked earlier ordered. Iroh supposed that he was the leader.

Iroh tried to scramble away, but earth leapt up from the ground and wrapped around his wrists, cuffing him to the ground. He struggled against his bindings, but they held tight, so he was stuck to the ground.

"These two have been way too much trouble, I swear." One said to his buddy. "How many more of these will we have to face to reach the commander?"

Their intention became clear to Iroh. This was an assassination. Judging from her shocked expression, Mylo had reached the same conclusion.

"Kill them." Their leader said. "And do it properly this time."

One of the Earthbenders lifted a stone and held it above Iroh's head. It suddenly occurred to Iroh that he was about to die. This was all so sudden. It seemed his parents had made a mistake in sending him here. Their little prince was about to die.

Mylo, incredibly, was still coming up with ideas. She had lit a fireball in her hand and was using it to burn through her earthen cuffs. And even more impressively, that involved burning her own wrist as well. Say what want about her, but damn was she stubborn. She just had that will to live.

She broke free, and lashed out at the closest Earthbender, landing her fireball right in his face. He screamed, writhing on the ground. The others converged on her, quickly subduing her resistance once more. One of them hit her over the head, knocking her unconscious.

Iroh quickly got to work with his own fireball, trying to burn through his own cuffs. The Earthbender leader noticed, and shouted at the Earthbender who still held the rock over Iroh's head. "What are you waiting for? Kill him!"

So Iroh had been too late. Oh well. He had tried. The rock dropped, coming closer and closer to killing Iroh.

Suddenly a burst of fire shot out just mere inches above Iroh's face. It deflected the rock away, saving Iroh. Appearing upside down to Iroh because he was on the ground was Nile.

"Back away from my friends!" Nile said angrily to the Earthbenders. "You'll regret messing with them!"

Behind him were several of the other recruits. And behind them in the distance were members of the garrison on the way to help defend the fortress.

"You guys hold them off while we finish the job!" the leader of the Earthbenders said to the others, while he and about half the group ran towards executive building where the head officers carried out their day. The remaining half dozen all burst into action, firing attacks at the recruits.

Iroh broke himself out, then scrambled to his feet. He moved his leg around a bit, and while it was still very much in pain, it was moving completely ok. He turned to the Earthbenders running deeper into the base. He had to stop them.

He ran after the group of Earthbenders, hell bent on stopping them before they could kill anyone. They noticed that they were being followed, and two of the Earthbenders fell behind to deal with him. They both launched Earthbending attacks at him, trying to stop him in any way possible. Iroh quickly found himself outmatched, and he was struggling to do much more than dodge, like before. He did quickly notice that one of these two Earthbenders seemed to be in a completely different class than his friend. This one Earthbender kept attacking him in weird ways, hitting him with strikes and attack patterns that Iroh couldn't predict and had a lot of trouble keeping up with. Bit by bit the two were wearing him down. Finally a rock slipped through his defenses, hitting him in the gut and knocking him to the ground.

Before either Earthbender could make a move to finish him off, a large fire attack came from behind Iroh. The two were momentarily distracted by the new arrival, whoever it was. Iroh took the opportunity to attack while their attention was away from him. The more experienced Earthbender noticed in time and managed to block the attack, but his friend was caught unawares and was thrown back into a wall and slumped onto the ground, unconscious.

Iroh glanced behind him to see Jeong Jeong. The other Firebender trainee nodded to Iroh. "Let's work together to defeat this one, then we can go stop the others."

The Earthbender laughed, a loud, obnoxious snort. His brown hair grew out in long, unkempt tufts, and his beard blended right in. it was like this man was discovered living alone in the woods and the Earth Kingdom for some reason thought they could put him in a uniform. "What was that you said? You are going to defeat me?" He snorted again. "I do rather like your idea. It is very bold, yet so simple. But what if we look at it differently for a second. What if it is I that defeats you?" He snorted, as though it were the funniest joke ever.

Iroh ignored his words, attacking with all his might. The Earthbender dodged easily, then dodged an attack from Jeong Jeong. The two attacked again and again, doing any combination they could to throw this guy off of his game, but this Earthbender effortlessly evaded everything they tried to do.

"Iroh." Jeong Jeong said quietly. "You go ahead and catch up to the others. I'll keep this guy busy." He punctuated that with a large blast of fire at the Earthbender, who dodged easily. Iroh didn't question the plan, just broke into a run after the other Earthbenders. The Earthbender that Jeong Jeong was facing watched Iroh run by, but didn't make a move to stop him. Iroh had an uncomfortable feeling that this man could have easily crushed them both, but didn't for whatever reason.

The door to General Rane's office room had been blown open by a massive boulder, Iroh ran through, ready to do whatever he had to in his General's defense. Inside, the two Firebenders who served as Rane's stewards and bodyguards had been defeated and lay on the ground unconscious, possibly dead. Iroh ran by them. He wanted to help, but these invaders needed to be stopped before they could hurt anyone else.

Rane was sitting in his chair, sitting passively. The five Earthbenders were surrounding him, and a sharp rock was rising into the air, pointed at the General. Rane saw Iroh coming from behind the Earthbenders and shock quickly registered in his eye, but then he shook his head slightly.

What did that mean? Don't get involved? Iroh wasn't sure what Rane meant by that shake of the head, but he knew he had to do what he could to stop them. He wasn't going to let them kill his commander.

He shot a blast of fire at the two Earthbenders who were closest, and they whirled around to face him. Together they quickly raised a wall of stone, cutting off Iroh from the rest of the room.

"NO!" He shouted. He could barely hear voices on the other side, but couldn't make out what they were saying. He hit the wall with all his might, but that proved ineffective. He stepped back and hit it with fire. It left a mark sure enough, and with enough time he could break through, but he didn't have time. "C'mon, I need to get in there somehow." He muttered to himself.

Then suddenly the voices stopped. Iroh froze, not wanting to believe the worst. He couldn't be dead, could he?

The stone wall that stood between Iroh and his commander suddenly blew open, showering rubble everywhere. One of the Earthbenders quickly hit Iroh with a flurry of rocks before he could react and Iroh was sent flying back into the wall. He felt a sharp pain at the back of his head then everything went black.

He woke up in a hospital bed with Nile and Satsudi sitting at the end of it. He glanced around, wondering how he had gotten there. Satsudi noticed that he was awake and shouted out. "Everyone! He's up!"

Iroh turned his head to see who everyone was. There were several other hospital beds, and Mylo happened to be in the one next to his. She was awake, but seemed rather distraught.

"What happened?" Iroh asked no one in particular.

Everyone glanced around to each other, each person pleading the others to answer for them. Finally, Mylo sighed and said, "Iroh, they got away. All of them. But before they did, they…" she choked up a bit. "They… they…" She couldn't bring herself to finish.

Nile finished for her, saying softly, "They killed him, Iroh. General Rane is dead."

**Where is the top part of the author's note? It's dead! But there is only one thing that could have possibly outsmarted the author's note and that's…. THE AUTHOR'S NOTE! IT HAD AN EVIL TWIN THE WHOLE TIME, THE BOTTOM HALF! *dramatic music***

**Yes, I only had this half of the author's note just to do that joke. Hope it was worth it. No? damn. Oh well. Well, I know this is a few days late, and I was actually almost able to have this finished in time, but then life got very much in the way this week and dragged me down with it. But as I was finishing this, it occurred to me that trying to put these out on Tuesdays is stupid considering my weekly schedule. It's probably pretty easy to tell that I am a person who does things the night before. Since most of my schoolwork is due the beginning of the week, it doesn't make sense to have my stories put out at the beginning of the week as well. It just makes my whole week top heavy. Instead, I will be trying to put out new chapters on Fridays instead so that I don't have to write three papers and a chapter in one night, which is something that I don't really want to do. This makes everything easier for me. So remember, Fridays instead of Tuesdays. Every three weeks. And I will probably mess up on that a lot. But I'm trying. Now, I figured you guys should know, a few weeks ago, right after I put out the last chapter (during the super bowl actually, crazily enough) I was contacted to be in a writing tournament on here, Season 3 of the Pro-Bending Circuit. In it I will be writing one shots for Avatar and Legend of Korra in the hopes of getting my team the victory. If you fave or follow me, you will be notified when I put out these one shots and you can support me through this. Also, I opened up some polls for people to vote on for that Pokémon story I've been mentioning that I've been wanting to make. It should begin in a few months, so if you are a fan of Pokémon and/or me you can check it out then. I'll post the links to the polls below. Well, I've rambled on a bit so I should probably be going. It was good to see you guys again. This story has been so much fun to right and I have been amazed at the support I've gotten throughout it. Thank you, guys. So, bye!**

**P.S.: did you notice who I brought into the story?**

** poll/polls_tab_ ?pollid=460746**

** poll/polls_tab_ ?pollid=460747**

** poll/polls_tab_ ?pollid=460748**


	20. Chapter 20- Aftermath

**Hey guys! It's me again, back with a new chapter. Can I talk to you guys for a minute before we get to the story? If you don't give a crap go ahead and skip on to the story, I promise it is completely unrelated. ********* Still here? Ok, I figured you guys deserved to know that I haven't been doing too well lately. I've had a really, really tough month, I've been really depressed lately. I feel like I've been losing friends, and I've just generally been running out of people who still give a shit about me. I feel really alone right now, and I've been feeling like everything in general just doesn't matter. Like I don't have any impact on anyone. That no one really cares. I'm honestly really scared for myself right now. And before you freak out or anything, I'm not suicidal, I'm not cutting myself or anything like that, don't worry about that. But I really feel like I need a friend right now. Or not even that, really. Just someone I know genuinely cares, you know? Sorry to put this on you guys, I know you came here for a story and not my personal problems. But thanks for listening. Ok, now on to the chapter! Enjoy!**

Chapter 20

Mylo gently placed down the final brick. The rest of the base cheered, as they saw their broken wall put back together once more. Iroh cheered as well, as loud as he could. There was just something about seeing it together again that filled him with an inner fire. A renewed drive to make a difference in the world. The wall being back wasn't quite justice, but it was something. And that something made him want to kick some Earth Kingdom ass.

Mylo carefully made her way down the ladder back to the ground. They had chosen to give her the honor of placing the final brick, because of how she had fought against the initial invaders and kept them in place long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Iroh might have been the proudest of her of everyone there. After all, they had gotten her to where she was together.

But on the flip side, he couldn't help but be disappointed in himself. He was Prince Iroh, heir to the throne of the Fire Nation and another prodigy in the long line of incredible Firebenders that were a part of his family. Yet somehow he had been helpless compared to Mylo, and had needed Jeong Jeong's help just to get past one guy. He had been the one who had been too late to save General Rane. In many ways, it was his fault.

His fault that Rane was dead and the Earthbenders had escaped.

What would Ozai have said? What would his father Azulon have said? Or, hardest of all, his grandfather Sozin? Iroh knew he had let his family down. He was a disappointment right now, unworthy of calling himself Prince to the Fire Nation. He had to redeem himself for letting everyone down. He had to reclaim his honor.

And to do that he would have to bring General Rane's murderers to justice. He had to find the Earthbenders. It had been a week and a half since they had escaped, and Iroh knew that they were getting farther and farther away with each passing day. Soon enough it would be too late to even try to follow them. Iroh was just glad it hadn't rained since then. If it had he would have had no hope of finding the Earthbenders.

He would leave tonight. He had been considering telling Mylo, and bringing her with him. He had no doubt that she would go with him if she knew, but Iroh didn't know if he wanted her to come with him. This was stupid, and his superiors would surely punish him for trying to chase them down. As the Prince, Iroh felt he held some leeway with any trouble he might get into. But Mylo didn't have the luck of being in the same situation. If she were involved in this she would surely be kicked out for insubordination, and possibly executed for desertion. Iroh refused to be the cause for that. He would have to take care of this on his own.

He had his plan ready. There was a spot near the back corner of the wall, behind the armory, where several supply boxes were stacked, making scaling the wall much easier. In addition, the area was very obscured from most of the sentry post locations. It was by far the best place to try to slip out unseen, and as far as Iroh knew he was the only person with knowledge of this good spot. He felt it was almost too easy to slip out.

After they had finished rebuilding the wall normal duties had resumed, or as close to them as the base could manage. Captain Ping, an old, stubborn, no-nonsense type of leader, had taken over as the temporary commander of the base since Rane had been killed. He had tried to keep things as routine as possible since he had been forced into command, and that had involved no scouting party looking for the Earthbenders like Iroh would have done in his place. In addition, he had even gone so far as to keep all the training and patrols and other duties exactly the same. Even the rebuilding of the wall had not been something Ping had ordered, but rather a volunteer thing many of the troops had been working on in their free time. Iroh hated what Ping was doing. He was either incapable of original thought or afraid to try something new. Iroh almost wished it was the former because then at least there was a good explanation for why Ping refused to do anything about the problem besides pretend that it wasn't there.

That day of training ended like they usually did, with Nile calling out Iroh and Iroh swiftly beating his friend in an Agni Kai. Usually Nile would challenge for rematch after rematch, and Iroh would oblige, but today Nile didn't seem to be up for it. Iroh honestly wasn't as well, being preoccupied with the thoughts of what he was going to be doing that night.

Lieutenant Wu sensed the morale of his students, and decided that it was time to call it a day. "Alright maggots, that's enough. Go get some dinner, get some rest, be ready for tomorrow. We are not taking it easy on you just because we survived an Earth Kindom invasion. You just got lucky, remember that. Dismissed."

As Iroh was walking away Wu called him back over. "Iroh! Wait up for a moment. I want you to be at my office in the morning, right at sunrise. Understood?"

Iroh didn't want to lie to Lieutenant Wu, but he couldn't exactly tell him that he wouldn't be able to make it because he would be busy hunting down murderers. He settled for a simple, "Yes, sir."

Wu nodded and went on his way. Iroh sighed. He didn't want to have to do stuff like this, but it was necessary to restore justice, to regain his honor.

That night Iroh wrote a message on a small bit of parchment. It was a simple message, just saying, "Love you, don't worry about me. I'll see you soon. Don't come looking for me. -I." He waited until he was sure the rest of the room had fallen asleep, then quietly slipped out of his bunk. He found Mylo sleeping, looking so peaceful. He smiled in the darkness. "I'll see you soon, I promise." He muttered under his breath. He carefully placed the slip of parchment into her open hand, then gently closed it. He knew she would worry like crazy, and possibly even try to follow him. He hoped she was smarter than that. He didn't want her in danger. This was something he had to do alone.

He slipped out, and made his way through the darkness to his escape. He dodged patrols, spotlights, anything that got in between him and the boxes of supplies in the far back corner. It reminded him of how he would sneak around back at the Royal Palace, back when he had been younger.

Those had been much different times, much simpler times. Back then his only enemy had been his mother, and he didn't have everyone's safety riding on him. Now, there were consequences for his decisions. Now he had responsibilities to people. He couldn't be the Prince anymore. He couldn't be the one who lived in his own world, letting himself be taken care of. Now he was a soldier.

He wasn't the same kid who had left on that boat.

He reached the boxes, moving the first one away from the wall. It revealed the bag that Iroh had put there, with food and some supplies inside. He didn't know how long he would be chasing these Earthbenders, but he doubted what he had would be enough. His food would run out, and he would have to make do with what he could to survive out there.

He deftly jumped from box to box, careful to make sure that he wasn't seen. Like a shadow he made his way to the top, climbing onto the wall. He had made it.

"Hello, Iroh." A voice said. Iroh froze.

A shape rose up from the wall, previously unseen in the darkness. This was a tall bulky person, definitely a soldier. Iroh couldn't make out a face in this darkness, for there was no moon out tonight. Iroh thought that it would help to try this in complete darkness, but it might have been what stopped him from getting out. The man walked up to Iroh, close enough to where Iroh could finally recognize who it was.

Lieutenant Wu was shaking his bald head in disappointment. "I knew you were stupid, but I didn't think you were this stupid."

Iroh gritted his teeth. "Just let me go, sir."

Wu chuckled. "What were you planning on? Hunting down those Earthbenders and avenging the General? Do you take responsibility for what happened? Is it all suddenly your fault that he's dead? That they escaped? Hell, that there's a freaking war to begin with? Kid, don't give yourself that much credit."

"Shut up." Iroh hissed.

"Struck a nerve, I see. Well let me tell you some things, Iroh. You would go into the forest, follow their tracks for a little while, and then get lost. You wouldn't be able to find food. Maybe not even water. Then, after a little while, you would die." He paused, letting that sink in. "You would be dead. And, by some miracle, let's say that you do find them. Then what? They would kill you! The only way you would survive that is if you tell them that you are the fucking heir to the throne, and that would be much, much worse than dying. You could lose us the whole fucking war!"

"No! I have a plan, I-" Iroh managed to say before being cut off.

"Oh wait, he had a fucking plan!" Wu exclaimed sarcastically. "A plan good enough for a shit soldier who hasn't even finished his training yet to beat a dozen well trained Earth Kingdom assassins. This has to be absolutely amazing." He suddenly turned dead serious, his tone dark. "With a plan like this you must be ready to become the fucking Fire Lord. Am I right?"

"I…I…." Iroh stammered.

"You what?" Wu asked, his fierce eyes never leaving Iroh's. "What's the first step to your brilliant plan?"

"I… I am going to track them down." Iroh said, casting his eyes down. He can't meet his teacher's eyes. "I'll live off the land until I've caught up to them."

"AND THEN WHAT?" Wu asked him, fury in his voice. "You never think these things through. This is exactly what happened when you tried to put out that forest fire! You didn't worry about the consequences, you just leapt in and tried to be a hero! What if your friends hadn't been there to save you?"

"I would have figured something out." Iroh said defensively. He was shocked to find out that Wu had known about that. How had he found out? What if he had been watching the entire time? Iroh suddenly had some fearful suspicions of his teacher. What else did he know?

"NO! YOU WOULD HAVE BURNED TO DEATH! You have the hopes of an entire country resting on your shoulders, you cannot be this careless. You can't do this!"

"I have to! I let him down, now I have to regain my honor!"

"Honor?" Wu asked with a disappointed shake of his head. "You have to do this for honor? You think you have to do this because you are the Prince? Because you have to bring justice to your people?"

"Yes." Iroh choked out.

"I have four words for you, Prince Iroh." Wu said sternly. "Four words that define you, that will absolutely destroy you. But you need them right now." He grabbed Iroh by the shoulder and pulled him in close.

"You."

"Aren't."

"Good Enough."

Iroh didn't know why, but something snapped in him. He fell to his knees, and tears swelled in his eyes. They were true. He knew it. He had tried so hard, but in the end he couldn't protect anyone. Couldn't make his parents proud. He couldn't be the Prince he needed to be.

"You aren't good enough to be Fire Lord." Wu told him, crouching down next to the sobbing Prince. "You aren't good enough to lead us. You aren't good enough to catch those assassins. You aren't even good enough to be with that girl."

Iroh gasped. "You know about that."

Wu sighed. "I'm your instructor. It's my job to know you dumbasses better than I know myself. Of course I know. I don't give a shit what you do in your free time as long as it doesn't impact your ability to be a soldier, but I make sure to know what you do anyway. You two can keep doing what you're doing, I don't care. But that's not the issue here."

Wu grabbed Iroh's chin, forcing the teen to look at him. "You aren't good enough. But you are Iroh."

"What do you mean?"

"You need to forget about honor. About being the Prince. That is something you were born with, not who you are. It is time for you to look inward and ask yourself the big question: who are you, and what do YOU want?"

Wu stood up. "I am still expecting you in my office at sunrise. Don't be late." He turned and walked down the wall, quickly disappearing into the night.

Iroh pushed the door open, walking into the office. Inside, Wu sat behind a wooden desk. There were also four other people here. Two he recognized, Zarai and Jeong Jeong. Not exactly the pair of people he had hoped to see, but it wasn't really his choice. The other two Iroh had seen before, but didn't know their names. They were part of an older batch of recruits, and their respective classes never really mingled.

Iroh took a seat down on an open chair, unfortunately next to Zarai. He looked at Wu, wondering what was going on here.

Wu was going over some papers, not paying his students any mind. Iroh glanced at the others, trying to gain some sign of what they had been brought here for. But he found nothing.

_You aren't good enough. But you are Iroh._

Iroh had spent all night awake in his bunk, thinking over what his teacher had told him. He had been sure to take the slip of parchment back from Mylo, kissing her forehead and whispering, "I'm sorry." before climbing into his own bed.

He wasn't good enough. But he was Iroh. Iroh. Who was Iroh? What was Iroh?

That was easy. The Prince.

But what else had Wu said? _You need to forget about honor. About being the Prince. That was what you were born with, not who you are._

So who was he? Who was Iroh?

_Who are you and what do YOU want?_

He didn't know. He really didn't know. And that scared him more than he thought was possible.

After a couple of minutes Wu finally looked up. "Oh good. You all made it. So let's get to business, shall we?" He put his papers down. "I gathered the five of you here because I need you for a team I am assembling. As you know, our commander, General Rane, was murdered a week and a half ago. We sent word to the Fire Nation, and they saw fit to give us a new commander. He is on his way now and should be showing up at the docks within the next day or two. We are going to meet him there and escort him back to the base. I picked you five in particular because, frankly, you are the best we got that aren't on active duty. Today, you guys become body guards. Now, most importantly, DO NOT forget that these assassins are still on the loose. They might have left for an Earth Kingdom-occupied area, which is most likely, given that they completed their mission. But they could also be just inside that forest outside, watching us. We don't know. and that's the key information here. We don't know who these people are, or what they want, or even why they picked out General Rane out of any of the commanders in the field fighting the Earth Kingdom. Hell, we don't even know if they ARE Earth Kingdom assassins. We don't know. We just don't know. And because we don't know, you need to be especially cautious. This is the most important thing that any of you have ever done. Do you all understand? Are you prepared to do this?" He held his gaze on Iroh for a moment before turning to the others one by one.

They all nodded. Wu stood up. "You have one hour to prepare. Meet me at the front gate. If you are late don't bother trying to catch up, I'll just explain to our new commander that you weren't ready to handle the responsibility. Dismissed."

**How was that, guys? Good? Bad? Gad? Well, I tried to incorporate some parallels to Zuko in this chapter, and I know I was far from subtle about it. I unfortunately wasn't able to more directly parallel their conversation in "Lake Laogai", mostly because Zuko's and my Iroh's situations aren't similar enough for that, and there were things I needed to make sure were said that didn't follow how the conversation went in the show. Oh well, can't get everything. Oh! Before I forget, remember how I heavily implied that Bumi was one of the Earthbender assassins in the last chapter? Well as I was pointed out to by Jokermask18, I made a mistake and made him out to be far younger than he would be at the time. For the sake of consistency in the timeline of the story, age him up in your minds (I could just edit the last chapter to make him in his 60's/70's but I'm lazy). C'mon, let's do it together! THINK! THIIINK! THIIIIIIIIIIIINK! WE DID IT! Good job, guys! High fives all around! Ok, I think that's all, so see you next time!**


	21. Chapter 21- New Commander

**Hey guys! I have to say, I really wasn't expecting the support I got in what I mentioned in the last chapter (you know what I'm talking about). You guys are simply incredible. I sincerely mean that. I know its cliché to say, but I feel like I have the best fans in the world, although I'm not sure whether the term fans counts. This is only fanfiction after all. But if you want to consider yourself that, or even if you don't, you are more than welcome to. Now, in other news, some of you may have noticed that I added names to all of my chapters. If you haven't, wellllllll I just told you so maybe now you will (NOTICE THEM SENPAIS!). Doing this meant that I had to go back and skim through all my chapters to be sure I'm naming them properly, and it was quite the memory trip. I hadn't realized just how far we've come since the beginning. A year, over twenty chapters, sixty thousand or so words, fifty reviews….. wow. I feel blessed to have this. Thank you guys.**

**Now on to the main attraction. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 21

"So just who is this new commander?" Jeong Jeong asked Lieutenant Wu.

Wu shrugged, leaning against a tree. "Nobody told me. All I have is that we have orders to escort him back to the fort. Beyond that, I think he will tell us himself."

They had been waiting two days at the dock the Fire Nation used. Iroh still remembered showing up here all those months ago. This place had seemed so new and magical before, full of opportunity. He had always wanted to get out of the Palace and see the world, and now here it was. The world. All around him.

But now he was sick of it. It had only taken minutes into the trip from the base to here for Iroh to comprehend just how alone he was in this group. There was Zarai of course, who hated him. Then Jeong Jeong, who hated socializing. Wu, who took great pleasure in torturing and disciplining his students. And these two older cadets in training, who Iron didn't know.

And the two days at the dock he had been stuck with this group. Iroh knew he was being immature about this, since being around people he didn't care for was set to be his entire adult life, but he had hated almost every second of this mission. He was bored out of his mind.

The two older kids turned out to be polar opposites. One, a tall and somewhat lanky guy with hair that was almost completely shaved down but not quite, was named Luk. He was the type that always played the victim when incidents happened and was more than happy to rat you out if you were doing something you weren't supposed to. He had high energy, and was extremely paranoid for no reason at all. He had made a life out of lying and stealing to get things, and was constantly scared of someone doing it to him. Not surprisingly, he became quick friends with Zarai.

The other boy was named Fai. He had messy black hair and a plain face, and was a little chubby, but in the way that he was just heavier but no less athletic than other people. He was very…. chill, if Iroh had to find a way to describe him. Nothing seemed to faze him, good or bad. He was constantly relaxed, and seemed to always have helpful advice at whatever he saw anyone else do. He was the kind of person that was always within their own thoughts and interacted in the world rarely, but somehow always made a big impact when they did. Iroh could tell he didn't care to be here, but also didn't care to be anything else. He was the only one Iroh could connect to even slightly.

Wu had naturally wanted to train on the trip to the dock and then while they waited for their new commander to arrive. Iroh had been surprised to find out that the younger trio of cadets far outclassed the abilities of Fai and Luk. Fai had admitted to Iroh one night that although they were the best of their class, their class had been absolutely dreadful. Wu apparently went on and on about how disappointing they were, and then when the younger group had arrived, talked about how much potential they had. Fai had learned to shut it out for the most part, but Luk had taken it to heart and was driving himself hard to finally get some hard-won approval from their teacher. Iroh had almost felt bad for him, then saw him chatting with Zarai and felt the feeling disappear.

"I for one am tired of waiting." Zarai complained to Wu. "I don't think those Earthbenders are even around anymore. He won't really need us to get there."

"Whether he needs us to get there or not isn't the issue." Jeong Jeong answered coldly. "All that matters here is that we were given orders to escort him to the base, so that is what we are going to do. Our duty always comes first."

Zarai looked away and grumbled. He knew any arguments over the importance of their duty were instantly lost with Wu right there. He walked over to a tree and pulled a knife, carving into it on a whim. Luk followed, bored enough that watching Zarai craft crappy art into a tree was entertaining. Iroh turned to the sea, trying for the millionth time to see a black smudge on the horizon to finally signify that this wait was over. Wu was scanning his weapons, checking for even the slightest imperfections to clean away. His golden pupil, Jeong Jeong was doing the same. And Fai was napping against a tree.

After making sure yet again that there wasn't a ship to be seen, Iroh decided to instead let his attention wander over to the forest surrounding them. He had far more familiar with it than he had wanted, and now he knew all of the nearby trees by sight. He wondered how long it was going to be until he started naming them. There was a bird a little ways up one of the trees, one that was black with a red head. Iroh watched it lazily scan the surrounding area much like he was had been doing. Probably looking for food. Iroh decided that he would name it Chin.

Whoa. That had gotten way too close to naming trees. Iroh forced himself to settle back down and relax, finding something else to watch. He thought he saw something move near the ground about fifty meters away, but when he looked closer it was just a rock. No way it could have moved. He sighed. Sitting here so long was making him see things. If they stayed here too much longer he was going to go crazy.

"Hey guys, he's finally here." Fai said quietly, surprising everyone. They all turned towards the ocean. Sure enough, the black iron of a Fire Nation cruiser-class ship could be seen rapidly approaching the dock, presumably with their new commander aboard. Iroh at first felt annoyed, since he had been looking literally a minute ago and there hadn't been anything, but that quickly changed to relief at this wait finally being over.

It took about half an hour for the ship to pull into the dock, where it settled to a creaking stop. After a few tense moments it hissed steam and the front of the ship collapsed down, opening it up to make a ramp. Down walked two men. One was a very old man with a jagged scar that went down his face, from his hair to his chin, in between his nose and his left eye. He had hardened eyes that left no doubt of the considerable experience this man had. But strangely, the man was smiling pleasantly, and it was the infectious kind of smile. It was very off putting from the rest of his appearance. Next to him was a familiar face. Captain Lou Sai, the man who had originally set Iroh on his path here. The two men walked down the ramp, where Wu and his students waited.

Wu bowed, and the others followed suit. The new commander held out a hand, and Wu reached out to shake it. But before their hands could connect a finger-sized rock came whistling at the commander at an incredible speed. Lou Sai somehow managed to deflect it, and it pierced the metal of the ship above them.

"Ambush!" someone shouted. Everyone sprang into action, including the people attacking them. Earthbenders came out of forest like shadows, all throwing rocks of various sizes.

Iroh barely dodged one person attacking him, sending fire back at the Earthbender. He quickly glanced around. They were outnumbered two to one, it seemed. Granted, there were without a doubt several Firebenders and dozens of soldiers inside the ship that would likely be alerted of the threat soon, but Iroh and the others would have to survive until then. Or rather, they would have to protect the commander until then.

"Get inside!" Wu said to the commander, both him and Lou Sai blocking the numerous attacks upon the old man. But the new commander was having none of it. He pushed past the two men, directly attacking the closest Earthbender. Now without his smile, he looked truly fearsome.

And that was before he had even used any Firebending. Iroh was temporarily distracted from his duel when the old man let out some of the most incredible Firebending he had ever seen. Within seconds he had defeated four of the Earthbenders and had many of the others on their heels. But being Earthbenders, the enemy did not back down. They counterattacked, hitting the old man from every direction. He barely managed to survive the first wave, an impressive feat in itself. Iroh knew that facing all of them he would have been destroyed near instantly.

Thankfully, the Earthbender that Iroh had been dueling had also been distracted by the old Firebender. Iroh squared off with the man, both sending attacks. But they proved to be closely matched, neither combatant really getting an advantage. Iroh tried a technique Mylo had thought up. He fired a large attack at the Earthbender, then shot pellet-sized flames at the ground. This brought up a lot of smoke, giving Iroh a moment unseen. He used it to jump behind a tree, extending his cover. The Earthbender, confused at his opponent's disappearance, looked around frantically. When his head was turned, Iroh burst out from behind the tree, attacking furiously. He took the Earthbender off guard, knocking him back and onto the ground. However, the man wasn't defeated. He fell back into the ground, bending himself below the earth. Now it was Iroh's turn to be worried over his enemy's position.

But it turned out that this Earthbender wasn't the thing he needed to be worried about. A rock hit him in the side, from a different opponent. Iroh fell, clutching his side in pain. Something was definitely broken. The new Earthbender turned out to be the one who had battled Jeong Jeong before at the base, the older one with the gray hair and crazy look in his eye. The other Earthbender rose up from the ground right next to Iroh. He grabbed Iroh's wrist and bent cuffs around them, leaving Iroh stuck as well as severely injured.

The old Earthbender glanced back at the ship. At this point soldiers were pouring out, and the assassins were being pushed back. "It would appear we were unsuccessful in killing the new commander. We had best beat a retreat unless we want to end up in the Boiling Rock."

The other Earthbender looked troubled at this. "But this was our best chance to kill him! We might not get another opportunity."

"Well I'm open to ideas on how to reach him. But it doesn't look very doable to me. It would be best to fall back and fight another day."

"But then we would have gained nothing." The younger Earthbender said. "It was all a waste!"

"It was not a waste." The old Earthbender said. "Perhaps here, but we have gained something invaluable. We have gone to the heart of their stronghold and killed their leader, and escaped. Now we have attacked them again, and will escape again. We have shown that we can come and go as we please. We have shown that they should fear us. And they will fear us." The he gave that odd chuckle snort. "Besides, we have this one. He counts as something, doesn't he?" with that he picked up Iroh easily, hoisting him up over his shoulder.

With that they ran into the woods, taking Iroh with him.

Iroh saw a face watching him leave. Jeong Jeong stood there, watching, as Iroh was carried away. He had a shocked expression on his face, but didn't make a move to help. Iroh couldn't believe it. Why wouldn't Jeong Jeong come save him? Then Iroh glanced back at the ship, back at their new commander. And then Iroh understood.

_Our duty always comes first._

Iroh felt a deep, dark feeling of disappointment. Was this what Jeong Jeong called duty? Was this what he valued so much? Despicable.

Soon enough Jeong Jeong and all the others disappeared from sight, blocked out by the trees. Iroh was alone, abandoned by his comrades.

All alone.

**So what will happen to Iroh now that he has been captured by the Earth Kingdom assassins? Tune in next chapter to find out!**

**As I pointed out above, I had the opportunity to look back over my old chapters, and I noticed some things. I started writing less and less per chapter, not consistently, but gradually they seemed to get shorter. Also, the author's notes seemed to get longer and more talkative. That author's note part isn't necessarily an issue, but it is kind of weird to see, seeing as this is meant to be a story and not a story with a blog with it. So I'd like to ask you guys: how would you like me to do things moving forward? Whether in the author's notes, or the story itself, or just anything you think I can improve on, I would love to hear it. Thank you guys so much, I can't wait to see you next chapter!**

**PS: twenty-one chapters in, and this story has come pretty damn far. But in the big picture we have gotten hardly anywhere! To put it into perspective, Iroh is still a teen. And I plan to carry this on until the show starts. So we are in for quite a long ride here. Let's hope it's a good one.**


	22. Chapter 22-Rescue Iroh 1:Missing Son

**Hey everyone! Welcome back for another chapter! Before we get started, I have to apoligizie for a couple of things. First off, im sorry it took so long to get back, I've been working on one of my other stories pretty exclusively because it was almost finished. And now it is finished, so if you are a fan of Harry Potter I would recommend checking it out. Secondly, I'm sorry for technically lying to you guys. In the last chapter I said in my author's note we were going to find out what was going to happen with Iroh, and that is not exactly true. We'll be covering something different here. Anyway, here it is. Enjoy!**

Chapter 22

Azulon let out a deep, ragged breath as he read the scroll, messenger hawk sitting on his shoulder. As he read he grew angrier and angrier, nose flaring and eyes bulging. Suddenly the scroll burned up in his hand and he let out a roar. The torches that lit the large chamber all flared up at once with an intense heat.

Ozai watched his father as he kneeled on a mat at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the throne. He was worried. Whatever the message was, it couldn't be good. It was rare to see the Fire Lord quite this angry.

Ilah, the Fire Lord's wife and Ozai's mother, watched passively from the corner. She was shrouded in darkness, but the nearby torch still illuminated her face alone, giving the beautiful woman an air of mystery and elegance. Ozai always found it impossible to read her face, a skill she had helped him develop. She would always be a master of politics, and she could be thinking anything at all and Ozai would never know what it was.

Besides the three members of the royal family, there were also a dozen of the top Firebenders in the entire military, in charge of protecting the Fire Lord at all costs. Ozai tried not to spend too much time with them. They were a soldier's soldier, the best of the best what they do. And what they did best, what they had spent their lives training for, was killing. Suffice to say, they creeped him out greatly.

"What is it, my love?" Ilah asked with little expression.

"Our son. Iroh." Azulon huffed. "He's been taken." He made his way down the stairs, heading for the door. His bodyguards slipped off of the dark walls to follow.

Ozai let out a small gasp, hoping that no one heard. But still, he held still. His father had trained him well.

Iroh was missing? Taken by who? Ozai didn't like this at all. Would he see his brother again?

"Taken?" Ilah asked, still showing little emotion. "Taken by the Earth Kingdom?"

"Yes." Azulon said. "Kidnapped by the same Earthbenders who killed the commander at that base. But from what I've been told they might not know his identity."

Ilah stiffened. It was probably the most emotion Ozai had seen from his mother in a long time. "But that means that they could kill him. They don't know how valuable he is."

"I know." Azulon replied to his wife. "We need to figure out something to do, and do it fast." He turned to one of his guards. "Assemble the council, anyone who happens to be in the capital. I want them in the council chamber within a half hour. Anyone who is late will not be allowed to participate."

The guard nodded, then left.

"Ozai." Azulon spat sharply, not looking back at his son.

Ozai rose to his feet, bowing low to his father, even though Azulon couldn't see him. He knew better than to show any indiscipline or disrespect. He wasn't the Prince. He was expendable. Well, maybe not now. "Yes, father?"

"Congratulations. You will be attending your first council meeting. You will finally see the inner workings of the top echelon of the Fire Nation. This is where the decisions are made, where the war will be won."

"Thank you father!" Ozai said. Even despite the worry he felt after hearing the news about Iroh, he was excited. This was a big moment. Iroh had never been to a council meeting, and he was the Prince. If Azulon wanted Ozai at the meeting, it could only mean good things.

"The same applies to you as the other council members." Azulon told his younger son sternly, still not looking at him. "If you are late then you will not be allowed inside. Also, you have no voice. You are there to sit and watch. Is that clear?"

"Yes, father." Ozai said, bowing lower.

"Now go prepare yourself. Do not tarry." The Fire Lord walked out of the room, his guards opening the doors for him. Ozai didn't look up again until his father was out of sight. Ozai relaxed, letting out a deep breath. Any talk with Azulon was always tense.

Ozai noticed that his mother was still in the room. To his surprise, her lip was trembling, and her hands were clenched hard into fists. Ozai only learned to notice things like that from her, so he was shocked to see such obvious signs of anger coming from her.

"So you will let him in, but not me?" she said, not realizing Ozai could hear her. "What do I need to do for you to finally accept me?" she suddenly noticed that her son was there. "What are you doing here?" she snapped uncharacteristically. "You heard your father, get out!" She composed herself, then added icily, "I said leave."

Ozai nodded. "Yes, mother. I'm sorry, mother." He bowed, then left the room as fast as he could without running.

He quickly made his way to his room, knowing he had a lot to do to be ready in a short amount of time. Two servants assisted him in getting prepared for his first meeting. By the time he was finished he was in a dashing uniform that had been custom made for him, and ready for this new opportunity. He rushed to the council chamber, knowing he had little time to spare.

He made it only a couple of minutes early, scared he might be too late. But when he entered his father Azulon looked up, then motioned to the seat to the right of his own. Ozai was even more shocked. To have such a privileged spot to sit was a true honor to have. Ozai hastily made his way over and sat down in his assigned seat.

"Remember what I said." Azulon warned as he watched his advisors. Only a handful were here so far, and Ozai didn't think there was time for all of them to make it. "Do not interact with the meeting at all. No matter what is said, you stay silent."

"Yes, father." Ozai said softly. He would try his best to follow that order. But he didn't see any reason why he would need to speak up anyway. They were going to decide how best to rescue Iroh. Right?

A couple more members arrived, looking disheveled, and then the heavy doors closed. Even though it was his first time, Ozai could tell that this was nowhere near the full number of the council. Counting himself and his father, there were ten people attending, and about as many open seats.

It was silent for a few seconds as all eyes were on Azulon, waiting for him to speak. But he didn't. Eventually one council member bowed down before the Fire Lord. Soon others gave in, including Ozai himself. Not until every head was bowed did Azulon speak to his commanding officers.

"Do you know why I called this meeting?" The Fire Lord asked the assembly of generals and other officers.

It was quiet for a moment, then one man spoke up. "I do not know, my lord. It was on such short notice; I was never-"

"Silence." Azulon said, his voice echoing across the chamber. "To clarify, the reason you were called here is because I just received grave and urgent news concerning affairs in the Earth Kingdom."

"Did the Southern Fleet fall?" One man asked.

"Was there an uprising in one of the captured cities?"

"Has the Earth Kingdom uncovered a force we had not anticipated?"

"No." Azulon said sharply, as if greatly annoyed by their guesses. "No, no, no, and no. It is much more serious than that. My son was kidnapped by Earth Kingdom assassins mere hours ago. They do not know his true identity, so they may kill him, assuming he does not reveal himself. This is a matter that we need to come up with a swift and effective solution to."

"So he was taken near Taku Base, I presume?" One General asked. "That is where he was stationed, after all." Azulon nodded. The man continued. "So this means that the Earth Kingdom assassins are most likely going to make their way to Omashu. It is the only Earth Kingdom stronghold that they can really hope to reach while moving with a prisoner."

Azulon nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, that is presumably true. But how do we stop them and retrieve Iroh?"

The same man twirled his mustache thinking. Ozai tried to remember his name. Something that started with a 'K', but Ozai couldn't recall what it happened to be. "To be quick we cannot assemble a large force, except perhaps something that is already there. Maybe we could establish a blockade to keep them away from Omashu or anywhere else that we could not reach them. But as far as I can tell, no force would be able to get themselves there fast enough to provide a proper deterrent."

"Maybe we could send a rescue party, of relatively small numbers." Another man said. "Either from Taku or somewhere else nearby. Hopefully they can catch up to the Earth Kingdom assassins in time."

"I have another idea." Azulon said quietly. "There is one man that they will not be able to hide my son from, no matter where they send him. Bring me General Sha."

"But sir!" One man stammered. "Even if you send him, he will not be able to reach them in time to prevent them from getting to Omashu."

Azulon smiled coldly. "Consider this a backup plan, a failsafe. If any and all rescue parties fail to retrieve my son, then he will take over. Not even Omashu can provide an obstacle for him."

Ozai was confused. He had never heard of this Sha before. But his father was speaking of the man as if he were the best of the best. Who was this man that they spoke of?

"We will call for him as soon as we can." The general whose name started with a K said. "And he will have a ship ready to take him by the morning."

"No." Azulon said curtly. "Tonight. He leaves tonight. In the meantime, send word to Taku to assemble a force immediately to rescue Iroh."

The general nodded. "Sir, there is one more factor that we have not considered yet. What is your plan if the worst should happen?"

Azulon paused, in thought. "Iroh is the Prince of the Fire Nation, heir to my throne as Fire Lord. But now the throne is in jeopardy. If they use him as a hostage or a bargaining piece, they could force him to declare himself, and throw my own reign into question. If it gets out of hand this could tear our country apart, and that is something we cannot afford. I may need to disown Iroh and name Ozai as heir."

Ozai's heart skipped a beat. He could become heir? The Prince? Only if Iroh were to not be rescued, of course. That was a bad thing, something he didn't want. But even so, the idea of becoming the heir in Iroh's place was more than tempting. He could be Fire Lord, if only Iroh never returned….

"If you name Ozai heir instead of Iroh," One man said, "That means that Iroh no longer holds political value. They could kill him because they cannot use him the same way. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Azulon fixed his cold, dragon-like stare at the man. "If I must remove his inheritance, then Iroh has become a liability to the throne. Just his continued survival would mean Ozai cannot have a true claim as Fire Lord. Iroh is better off dead if I name Ozai as my heir."

Ozai couldn't help but be angry at his father. He was ready to let Iroh die? How could he do that to his own son? And if he did it to one, what was to stop him from doing it to the other? How safe was Ozai with his father around? He didn't want to know.

Ozai was no fool, however. He stayed quiet like he had been told. But now he knew he had to do something. But he was helpless here. He wound need to start gaining power, build up influence. Now that he knew what his father was capable of, he needed to make sure nothing similar would happen to him. He needed protection, but he had no one. No one who would have his back over his father's. Well, maybe one person.

"If there are no other qualms about what needs to be done, then this meeting is adjourned." Azulon told the advisors. "You may go."

Ozai stood with everyone else, happy to leave. He didn't know how much more time he could spend around his father right now. He was the last to reach the door, as the farthest away. As he left, Ozai passed by a man who going in. Ozai quickly realized that this must be General Sha.

Strangely, this man didn't look that intimidating. He was rather small, with short black hair and a normal, uninteresting face. He seemed very aloof, as if little would faze him and he was just living through one long stretch of boredom. He passed without even giving a single glance to Ozai, something that Ozai was not used to. Usually everyone, even powerful military officers, treated him with great deference because of his royal blood. But Ozai realized chillingly that to this guy he was no more than a fly.

Then the moment was gone, and Ozai was heading back to his room. He shook thoughts of Sha from his head. He had things he needed to do.

That night, a ship was prepared to escort General Sha on a top secret mission to the Earth Kingdom. No one, not even the ship's captain, was informed of why they had been reassigned on such short notice or what their orders were besides to get Sha to the Earth Kingdom at top possible speed. The ship departed in the dim light of the moon, a dark phantom atop the darker waters. But little did they know, there was an extra person aboard, a stowaway. A young boy by the name of Ozai, determined to rescue his brother.

**Boom. Ozai on the way. Iroh is prisoner to Earth Kingdom assassins, and could be losing everything soon. Including his life. HIGH STAKES AND STUFF! YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! TUNE IN NEXT TIME! TURN TO THE DARK SIDE FOR SOME GOOD COOKIES! BYE!**


	23. Chapter 23-Rescue Iroh 2:Rescue Mission

**Hello and welcome to another chapter! I again have to apologize, because again I am putting off going back to Iroh. And yes, it is purely to make my readers suffer (or not, depending on your views) because I am sometimes evil. Anyway, this time we see from a new perspective, and the first one from a non-canon character. So this is somewhat of a milestone, I guess. Enjoy! **

Mylo slowly and quietly let out a deep breath as she rose up from her bed and slid her legs off. As silently as she could manage she crouched next to her bed, grabbing some of her essentials to travel. Knife, map of the nearby area, spare clothes, and other essentials went into a bag, then putting it on over her shoulder. She then silently crept through the dark bunk room, careful not to wake anyone. If she was caught leaving, then there was no way she was going anywhere after this. Mylo noticed two other shadowy figures getting up just like she was, preparing to leave. Just as planned. She opened the wooden door to their bunk room as quietly as she could, then waited for the other two. Less than a minute later Nile, Satsudi, and herself were slipping out into the darkness.

Then the door creaked.

All three of them froze, knowing that this might be the end for their plan. Mylo carefully looked inside, trying to see if anyone had awoken. She stood there gazing into the room, as the tense silence enveloped her. Slowly, the seconds ticked by, one by one. Finally, after seeing no reaction from any of the sleeping forms, Mylo relaxed and gently let the door close.

So far, so good. They had made it out of their room, which was probably the easiest step. Now to handle the rest.

The three of them snuck through the darkness, creeping around the base. They were careful to avoid the patrols that regularly circled around the base at night, wary of another attack. Slowly and cautiously, they traveled in the darkness to the storage house. Thankfully, it wasn't guarded and the three of them were able to slip inside.

They prepared for the journey they were going to undertake, collecting enough food and water to last a while. When they were ready, they crept back into the darkness, this time heading for the armory. There was a single guard by the door, but he wasn't doing the best job of guarding. He seemed tired and bored, and of course didn't see how anyone could sneak into the base with the security on lockdown. He was just an added precaution, and didn't believe he would be necessary. This, along with the darkness, gave Mylo and her friends everything they needed to slip past him one by one and gain entry to the armory.

Once inside they began trying on armor and finding weapons they could use. Nile was well off, finding normal armor that fit him well. Satsudi and Mylo were not so lucky, and had to scrounge around to find anything smaller that might fit them better.

Mylo picked up an elegant sword, giving it an appraising look. _Nia would never have gotten the chance to do something like this, _she thought. _She was weak, a dreamer. Always wanting what she couldn't have. But as Mylo, I can be someone who matters. Who accomplishes things. Everything Nia wanted to be._

She was shaken from her thoughts when someone grabbed her shoulder and said, "I thought I might find you here tonight."

She spun around, surprised, sending a jab towards the throat of whoever this was. This person, whoever it was, expected the attack and blocked it easily, then backed up a few steps.

"Whoa! Calm down there." The person said. He was another Fire Nation soldier in training, but a year or two older than them. Kind of heavyset, but he had already shown he wasn't slowed down in the slightest. "I'm not your enemy. I'm not even trying to stop you or anything like that."

Mylo was still suspicious. "Then who are you? How did you know we would be here, and why are you here?" By now Satsudi and Nile were flanking her, facing this new guy. It was three on one if it came down to a fight, although Satsudi couldn't Firebend.

"My name is Fai." The older boy said. "I was on the mission with Iroh to escort our new commander home, and he told me about you three. I knew that you would try to rescue him, even if Wu forbade it. That's how I knew you would be here. I want to go with you guys and help you rescue him from them, since I was on the mission and therefore have a responsibility to bring him back home." He smiled slightly. "Besides, seeing as there are only three of you, your chances of pulling this rescue mission off aren't great. At least with me along, the odds are a little better."

Mylo glanced at Nile, who shrugged. She sighed. "Fine. Come along if you want, just don't get us caught getting out of here."

"I can do even better than that.'' He said, putting his hands in his pockets. "I know a much better way out of here."

"I can't believe you've gone through this before!" Mylo complained as she waded through the waist deep water. They were in the sewage pipes underneath the base, thankfully going upstream so they didn't have to go through the more unpleasant waters.

"It isn't pretty, and sometimes it isn't easy at all, but this is the most reliable way to get in and out of here undetected." Fai said.

"What do you even do off base?" Satsudi asked, wondering why Fai would even know about this to begin with.

"Trust me, you don't want to know." Fai said, not elaborating any.

"How much farther do we have to go?" Nile asked.

"Not that much farther." Fai assured him. "A couple hundred meters at most."

"A couple hundred meters?" Mylo said with dread.

But soon enough they were free, a good distance from the base. Mylo breathed out a sigh of relief, because she was both out of that horrible sewage pipe, and because she was one step closer to rescuing her friend.

They traveled through the woods mostly in silence, just intent on covering ground. Satsudi checked that they were always going the right way, and Nile was always scouting around, paranoid of an attack, or even a force from the base to bring them back. Fai didn't seem to be doing much, but Mylo suspected that he was probably paying much more attention to their surroundings than he seemed. Mylo didn't know what to think of him yet. He seemed quiet and perceptive, the kind of person who would keep their thoughts to himself unless there was a good reason to tell someone. Hell, Mylo wouldn't be surprised if he had spotted something already but hadn't told them yet. She didn't trust him yet, but he had gotten them this far and genuinely seemed to want to help Iroh. And that was good enough for now.

Mylo herself desperately wanted to get Iroh back. She had never had a friend like this, and already she missed him more than she could bear. Growing up as a girl had never suited her. She hated all of the things she was supposed to do, all of the expectations she had just because she was born a certain way. It's not like she chose to be this way. She had never gotten along with the other girls, who were always talking about parties and working on their etiquette. She simply couldn't live in that world. What she loved was all of the stuff boys were supposed to love. Fighting, athleticism, strategy, honor, those were things that interested her. It was what she wanted her life to revolve around. But in the world she grew up in, no one wanted her to involve herself with anything that wasn't proper for a lady. She was always at odds with the world around her, and was always so alone. Even among friends, even among family, she felt alone.

But then her brother had become crippled. They all knew that he was supposed to join the ranks of the army soon, but how could he? It had been a dark time for her, seeing her brother like that. He had always been what she wanted to be, one of the most capable boys in the entire village. He would make an ideal soldier. And even though he had disapproved of her interest in male ventures, they had been able to connect over them. They enjoyed a lot of the same things, and got along really well. She missed him, she loved him, and that was what made her feel so bad about using him.

Her brother, Mylo, being injured had been an opportunity. It was a terrible thing to happen, and she didn't want what happened to him to happen, but it had given her a chance. When the recruiters had come, she had cut her hair, dressed for the part, and told them her name was Mylo. And someone called Mylo left with them to go become a soldier.

Even as a lie, this was the life she had always dreamed of. But there was no more dreaming as Nia, only living it as Mylo. It had taken a while to get used to going by her brother's name, but she didn't mind. She was only focused on doing the best she could while keeping her secret safe. Then, everything changed the day that she had been attacked by that snake Zarai. She had needed help, so she had to let her roommate, Iroh, in on the secret. He had been shocked at first, and who wouldn't be? But he hadn't forsaken her. He hadn't turned her in. He had accepted her for who she was and helped her wherever he could. He was a true friend, and he had no idea just what it meant to her for him to do everything he did. She had never had a friend like that before, and now that she did she was going to do everything she could to keep him.

Then, after a while, she had realized that she was falling for him. She hadn't ever been one for romance, but she couldn't deny the feelings that rushed through her every time he was near. He was just always so thoughtful and friendly, always dependable for her when she needed him. She couldn't imagine anyone better to be falling in love with, and she was enjoying every second they spent together. Plus, he was pretty cute. Definitely a good thing to have in a boyfriend.

But now it was him that needed her. For the first time, everything counted on Mylo to do this, there were real stakes. So she couldn't let him down. If she did fail, she would lose her best friend forever and she couldn't live with that. So she would succeed, somehow, no matter what.

Suddenly she heard a nearby twig snap. She froze, and the others quickly stopped too. Mylo looked around, trying to find whatever had caused the noise. But in the dark, it was very difficult to see anything.

"What is it?" Satsudi asked, head on a pivot. He drew his knife as the other three prepared to use their bending.

Mylo had no answer. It could very well be nothing, but…

Suddenly something stuck her hard in the back. She flew to the ground, letting out a cry of pain. She heard two more similar yells and heard someone Firebend. She rolled over painfully to see Nile standing alone as three Earthbenders closed in fast. The fight didn't last long, as Nile was quickly overwhelmed by the three Earthbenders. But no sooner had Nile fallen that a blast of fire erupted from the trees, striking one of the Earthbenders. Then the second Earthbender was under attack from the same person. Mylo took the opportunity of their distraction to dive at the legs of the third Earthbender, dragging him to the ground. Fai and Nile soon joined her in knocking the Earthbender unconscious.

By the time they had dealt with him, the second Earthbender had been dealt with by whoever had attacked from the trees. Their savior emerged from the shadows, revealing himself to be none other than Jeong Jeong.

"Shit." Nile muttered.

**I promise, I PROMISE that next chapter we are returning to Iroh to find out what happened to him. In the meantime, be sure to check out my other stuff. I have a lot of Avatar related one shots that I did for a writing competition, so if you like my writing you should check them out. I also have a Legend of Korra story that I have had on hold for a while, but will be picking back up soon, so feel free to join in when that train gets running again. Thanks for reading! See you next time! Join the Dark Side! Bye!**


	24. Chapter 24-Rescue Iroh 3:Captured

**As promised, we finally return to Iroh's perspective, and see what happens to him now that he has been taken captive by the Earth Kingdom. Also, I would like to point out that time wise this chapter technically takes place before the previous two with Ozai and Mylo, but it really doesn't matter so much which order they are in so I am fine keeping them as is. They all for intents and purposes happen at the same time, even if this is TECHNICALLY before those two. Just a small detail that I figured I should mention. Anyway, hope you enjoy!**

Iroh tried to squirm from the Earthbender's grasp, but it was futile. This old man was incredibly strong for his age, likely from decades of Earthbending. It wouldn't have mattered if Iroh did escape from his grip anyway, because his wrists and ankles were bound by rock cuffs. There was no escape for him here.

"I take it you are uncomfortable?" the man asked, noticing Iroh's struggling. "There isn't much I can do about that, I'm afraid." He chuckled, finding humor somewhere that Iroh couldn't fathom. "And it's going to be a long, long way to Ba Sing Se!" he nodded his head at Iroh as if they were the best of friends. "But the girls in the city, they look so pretty!" He sang loudly, and Iroh noticed the other Earthbender slap his forehead at his partner's antics. "And they kiss so sweet that you've really got to meet…" he paused, pulling in a deep breath of air. "THE GIRLS FROM BA SING SE!" He snorted like a pig, finding much more humor than Iroh or the other Earthbender.

He had to be crazy.

That was much of how the journey continued, with the older Earthbender rambling on and on about this and that. He really did love talking. Iroh, as prisoner, didn't really have much of an opportunity to interject and end this, since what could he possibly say? "Hey, sorry to interrupt, but could you let me go please?" He didn't really have much he could do about this torture. But Iroh really had to respect the other soldier's fortitude. The man was staying pretty mentally strong to withstand this without complaining. But then, that's exactly what should be expected of an Earthbender. As strong as a rock, as immovable as a mountain.

Thankfully they soon arrived at their destination. There was a small outcropping of rocks, with several of the other Earthbenders already there. They all stood around, on edge, glancing at the tree line for threats. There were a few tents hidden among the rocks, where the casual eye might overlook them. The one Earthbender who had seemed to be the leader perked up at the arrival of Iroh and his captors.

"I was wondering what was taking you so long." He said, exasperated. "We need to cover some ground quickly, they are bound to be searching the area. We failed to kill the new commander, and that was probably our last legitimate chance to do so. It's time to head back to Omashu and get new orders. Everyone understand? Let's move out!"

The troop of Earthbenders burst into motion, disassembling and then packing their camp with impressive speed. One Earthbender pulled up what looked like a body from behind one of the rocks, swinging it onto his shoulder. As he turned, Iroh caught a glimpse of the face of the body. To his surprise, it was Zarai. Iroh's longtime rival was similarly bound, also a prisoner. Zarai's eyes widened when he saw Iroh captured as well, then they rolled. Iroh felt similarly, feeling that if he was to be captured with anyone he would have preferred someone who he could actually stand to be around. Between Zarai and the talkative old Earthbender, Iroh could already tell that this was going to be a long trip.

Within minutes they were moving out. Usually a group this size would take time to move through the forest, but this group moved like there were only a couple of people instead of around a dozen. Iroh so far was impressed by how this group operated, they seemed much better disciplined than Iroh and his comrades, even despite the grueling training they had undergone since leaving the Fire Nation. Maybe there was something to be learned here, something he could use to better the armies of his own country.

As they traveled, the old Earthbender naturally began talking. But for once, he wasn't intent on rambling, instead seeking conversation with Iroh. "So, young Firebender. It is nice to meet you. My name is Bumi. What is yours?"

"My name is Iroh." Iroh answered. He made sure to mentally prepare himself so that he did not accidently give away that he was the Prince. If they found out who he was, there was no end to the options they would have politically to hurt the Fire Nation.

"Iroh?" the old man considered. "An interesting name. Very uncommon, but holds great strength to it. I take it you are a soldier for the Fire Nation?"

"Soldier in training." Iroh admitted. "I still have a long way to go before I am considered a full-fledged solider."

"Really? In the two battles I have seen you in you have proven to be quite an impressive fighter. I'm rather surprised that you are still training."

Iroh chose his words carefully, trying not to give up much information. "I have only been training for a few months. I've barely started." He was worried about saying any more, because even as crazy as this man seemed sometimes, he also happened to be really sharp, and his perceptiveness rivaled that of Iroh's own parents. Say one wrong word, give one inconsequential clue, and this man could figure out who Iroh really was. And that Iroh couldn't allow to happen.

"interesting story, young Iroh." Bumi said. "In fact, it was interesting enough to spark something from my memory. Did you know that the Prince of the Fire Nation is ALSO named Iroh?" he chuckled. "Small world, huh? Having the same name as the Prince? Maybe you were named after him." He let out that long snort of his.

Iroh's heart was beating as hard as it ever had before. This was way too close to the truth. Did Bumi really believe it was it just a coincidence like he said? Or had he connected the dots and was just playing games with Iroh? It didn't seem like he knew, from the amount of laughing Bumi was doing. But Iroh definitely would not disregard that Bumi could be a master politician, able to hide what he was truly thinking. Maybe he did know. Maybe he didn't. Iroh had no way to tell. And now that was going to worry the hell out of him.

They continued conversing on the journey, and even despite his age and having to carry a prisoner over his shoulder Bumi never seemed to falter or slow down. It was like he could do this all day. Iroh was seriously beginning to respect the Earth Kingdom troops. Particularly Bumi. The old man told Iroh a tale of how he had grown up, an orphan in the city of Omashu. But according to him, having to fend for himself made him strong and it made him cunning. But most people confused his cunning with insanity. This continued from his childhood on to when he became a soldier, where his superiors considered him a disobedient troublemaker simply because Bumi refused to go along with plans that were doomed to fail. These incidents kept occurring, and slowly but surely Bumi's career spiraled out of control. He would never be in a position of power, and he would never be trusted by his comrades. He would always be labeled as a loose cannon. This mission was actually the best he had been treated in a good many years by his kingdom. They had actually allowed him to go on an important mission, likely because of his history as a renegade. He was expendable to them, compared to someone who was considered a model soldier. Iroh privately wondered how many of the others were similar cases to Bumi. Was this just a squad of expendable Earthbenders? If so, they had proven to be a much deadlier group than the Earth Kingdom must have anticipated.

At sunset, several hours after Iroh had been taken, the group of Earthbenders finally stopped and made camp for the night. They tied Iroh and Zarai around a tree, tied at opposite ends of the bark. It was a fairly thin tree, so they were able to tie both Firebenders' hands around the trunk, so that Iroh could feel Zarai's hands at his back while his own were behind Zarai at the other side of the tree. Neither of them were happy with the arrangement, but there was little they could do.

They waited hours, both trying to ignore the existence of the other. Iroh knew it was selfish, but he wished someone else had been captured instead of Zarai. At least with Fai, or Jeong Jeong, or anyone else, they would at least be willing to cooperate to escape. But Iroh knew without having to ask that Zarai would never work with him, not even to escape. But maybe Iroh could hopefully convince him otherwise, if only to get away from the Earthbenders.

And since Iroh was wishing, he might as well wish for something a little more useful, like not being captured in the first place.

Later that night, when the moon was high, the leader of the Earthbenders walked over to his prisoners, and greeted them, introducing himself as Captain Jie. "I'm pretty sure you know how this works. It's time to see if you know anything useful." Using Earthbending, he freed Zarai but bound his legs, preventing any daring escape. Zarai was quickly bound again by earth cuffs, this time not around the tree. With the wave of a hand, Zarai's legs were freed, and then Jie dragged Zarai away, using his bending to force Zarai's cuffs to follow him. Soon they were gone into the dark shadows, leaving Iroh alone on his tree.

A fear suddenly realized itself in Iroh's mind. Zarai knew his identity. What if they beat it out of him while looking for information? Or worse, what if Zarai told them without even being beaten up first? That would be terrible. Iroh didn't have much faith that Zarai would protect his identity, seeing as they had become enemies. Iroh had a sinking feeling that his cover was about to be blown wide open, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He muttered, "I'm sorry, Father. You sent me out here to become a man, and instead, I might have cost you everything that you and Grandfather built. Please forgive me." All he could hope for now was that Zarai would realize what betraying Iroh would do to his country, and hopefully he would be wise enough to put his nation over his grudge.

But Iroh wouldn't count on it.

Around an hour later, Zarai was returned. He had been beaten around severely, and sported several new bruises, a busted lip, a black eye, and a few other new injuries. The fight was out of Zarai as he meekly allowed himself to be placed around the tree. Jie glanced at Iroh, then said, "We learned plenty from this one. We will deal with your interrogation later." Iroh's heart sunk. From what the Earthbender had said, Iroh could only assume that they now knew who he was. It was over.

Jie left, leaving Iroh alone with only Zarai for company. Iroh glanced around, seeing no guards. He knew that this was a chance, and that he had to do something. An idea came to mind, the only thing he could think of that had any chance of working. He squirmed around, trying to turn his body so that he was no longer opposite of Zarai, but instead next to him. He needed to get his body closer to Zarai for his idea to have any chance of working, or rather get his hands close to Zarai's.

Zarai watched this unravel, a confused but arrogant scowl on his face. "What the hell do you think you are doing? I'd rather you got as far away as you can, thank you."

Iroh scowled back. "Shut up. I'm trying to get us out of this."

Zarai scoffed. "And how is this going to help anything?"

"Just move your hands over, so I can reach your cuffs."

Catching on, Zarai started working with him, getting his cuffs near Iroh's hands. Iroh took a deep breath. This was going to take a lot of control, something he had worked on a lot with Mylo since it seemed to be her specialty. He let out the breath, and as he did a flame appeared in his palm, right on the stone cuffs around Zarai's wrists.

"Son of a bitch!" Zarai swore. "You are burning my wrists, you asshole!"

"Shut up!" Iroh hissed back. "If you keep being loud they are going to catch us and then we will never get free!" he continued pressing the flame against the cuffs, and within seconds the edges of the stone were starting to wear away and even blacken. Iroh wished it had been anything but stone. Wood, rope, and even metal would give way far easier than this, but melting through rock could take several minutes. And several minutes was more than enough time to get caught.

They continued to strain, Iroh trying to focus as much as he could to keep his flame contained in the small space he wanted to burn. Zarai was engaged in a mental battle to keep from screaming out every time the flames licked his skin. Iroh couldn't see what was happening from where he was at, but he imagined that Zarai's skin was turning black from the burns. The smell of burnt flesh didn't sooth the dark images that floated through Iroh's head at what he was causing in the slightest.

But eventually it worked. Suddenly Zarai's arms wheeled around and he brought his wrists to his mouth, shoving a fist in to drown out any screams he might make. After a moment, when he was ready, Zarai let his fist out and let out a deep breath and spat on the burnt area, hissing from the pain. He blew on it, trying desperately to cool it down.

Iroh knew that it must be excruciating for Zarai, but he had to interrupt. He still needed to be freed too. "Hey!" he whispered. "Now break me out." He mentally started preparing himself for the pain that was about to be brought to his hands. He knew Zarai might take the chance to cause extra pain while he had the chance.

Zarai glanced at Iroh, as if suddenly remembering where he was. Then he smiled and stood up. "Good luck, dick." With an evil grin, Zarai dashed for the trees, disappearing into the night.

Iroh couldn't believe this. Yet again, he had been abandoned.

**And that was chapter 24, Captured. *demon voice* YOU BETTER LIKE IT OR ELSE. FAVE AND FOLLOW NOW. REVIEW OR DIE. SEE YOU NEXT TIME, YOU BETTER BE THERE. I. WILL. KNOW. JOIN THE DARK SIDE! *cheery voice* thanks for reading!**

**PS: one of my other stories, which I've mentioned here before, Revenge of the Red Lotus, is a story I've had going for Legend of Korra. But I haven't worked on it in almost a year (it will actually have been a year as of three days from now, actually). That will all change soon, as the Fire Nation is attacking and the Avatar is returning, along with that story. As of (hopefully) July 1, it will be back. So if you like my writing and the Avatar universe, I highly recommend checking it out. Thanks!**


	25. Chapter 25-Rescue Iroh 4:Searching in th

**Hey guys waddddup. I'm back with another chapter of DOTW. If any of you pay any attention to the chapter titles, I renamed 21 and on through this one (and presumably future chapters as well (I'm counting on you to get your shit straight, future me)) to fit the Rescuing Iroh Arc. This will be part 4. Now this chapter ended up being a little bit shorter than I had wanted, mostly because it serves as sort of the set up for the next chapter where a bunch of crap will hit the fan. Consider them a two parter, I guess. Anyway, enjoy!**

Chapter 25- Rescue Iroh 4: Searching in the dark

Jeong Jeong proved to be a very unhappy camper.

"Did you really think I wouldn't know?" he asked, scolding Mylo, Nile, and Satsudi. He nodded at Fai, then continued. "I knew you would try something like this. I wished I wasn't right, but I'm glad I was able to be here in time. Without me, the four of you would undoubtedly be dead." He fixed his eyes on Mylo. "I assume it was your idea?"

Mylo clenched her hands into fists. She wasn't going to back down to him, even if he was in charge. "Look, I'm sorry we ran away, and I'm sorry we disobeyed orders. But I don't regret what I did. We are going to go after Iroh, no matter what you say. Please don't get in our way."

"I wasn't planning on it." Jeong Jeong said.

Mylo was surprised. "What? Really?"

"You three are my responsibility. I have no say on anything Fai does, but you three I have to keep in check. I can't convince you to go back, and I can't fight off all of you to bring you back myself. So all I can really do here is go with you, and do my best to keep you from getting yourselves killed."

Mylo suspected that there might be additional reasons on why he wanted to come along, but she wasn't going to pry. As long as he wasn't going to hinder them then she didn't much care his reasons. She was just glad to have some help in going to save Iroh.

"Great." Fai said simply.

"And so four become five." Satsudi said.

"Glad to have you along and all, I guess." Nile said to Jeong Jeong, who answered only with an annoyed glance. Nile shrugged, then glanced down at the fallen Earthbenders. "So what are we going to do about them?"

"Are going to… kill them?" Satsudi asked, looking to Mylo.

Wait, was this falling onto her? Why not Jeong Jeong or Fai? She realized everyone was looking to her for a decision. How did this happen?

"We aren't going to kill them, of course." Mylo told them. Everyone visibly relaxed. They may be training to be soldiers, and they may be prepared to do what they needed to in order to survive, but they weren't killers.

Yet.

"What should we do with them?" she asked the group. "We aren't going to kill them, but I don't know if we should leave them here, either. And we can't take them with us as hostages, that would take up too much time."

"We could tie them up." Nile offered. "Who has the rope?"

"Here." Satsudi said, retrieving the rope from his pack.

Nile and Jeong Jeong took care of tying up the three Earthbenders while Mylo, Fai, and Satsudi searched the nearby area. There could be others, and they might have some sort of temporary base nearby. More supplies would be nice.

But they found nothing, for better or worse. With the subdued Earthbenders now tied up, the group began moving once more.

They traveled several more hours in the dark forest, heading deeper into the Earth Kingdom. Mylo laughed in her head, remembering a time when these same woods had scared her months ago when they had first arrived here. Not that the area wasn't still dangerous, nor that she was not still wary. But now it was a known danger, something that she knew she could deal with if problems arose.

But soon enough they were in unfamiliar territory, far beyond any patrolled area. They were truly in enemy territory, with no one to save them if they failed. They couldn't count on another incident like with Jeong Jeong. From now on it was life or death, and they had to be smart, capable, and decisive to rescue their friend and make it home.

The sheer difficulty of what they were attempting dawned on Mylo, making her head hurt. They were going to sneak through the Earth Kingdom, with no idea of where Iroh was, and break him out while highly trained Earthbenders did their best to kill them. What if they didn't get there in time to keep him from being brought into Omashu or Ba Sing Se? Then it would become damn near impossible. All of this, for a small handful of recruits.

Suddenly the bushes ahead of them rustled, and the group all stopped and prepared for a threat. A figure burst out, running at them, Nile sent a flame at the figure who jumped back. The fire illuminated the face, and Mylo realized they knew this person.

"Wait! It's Zarai!"

Nile glanced at her, as if to ask, _are you sure you want us to stop? _

"Stop trying to kill me, thank you." Zarai said coldly to them. "Last I checked I can bend fire, not rocks."

"That doesn't necessarily mean you are on our side." Nile said with a glare.

Zarai shrugged. "Sides are only what people perceive them to be. In the end we are all in it for ourselves, just working with others because it's convenient."

"Shut it." Jeong Jeong ordered. "Both of you. Zarai, what are you doing out here?"

"I escaped." Zarai said, glancing behind him. "I was captured by the Earth Kingdom group at the dock, and they dragged me all the way out here. They were taking me to Omashu. I broke out a couple of hours ago. They are probably looking for me, so I'm trying to make it back to base before they can catch me again."

"Was Iroh with you?" Mylo asked, her words catching in her throat. Maybe this could be the lead they were looking for to track him down.

Zarai glanced at her indifferently. "Iroh? I didn't see him."

"You're lying." Nile said with a glare.

Zarai smiled at him. "Am I?"

"Nile is right." Jeong Jeong said. "I saw them take him."

Zarai shrugged. "Like I said, I didn't see him. Wherever he is, it's not with them. You guys are chasing after nothing, and you'll get yourselves killed if you keep going."

"Shut up, you bastard." Nile said angrily. "We know he's with them."

"Whatever you want to believe." Zarai replied. "But I'm getting out of here before I end up dead like you guys. Real quick, you wouldn't happen to have any food on you, by chance? I haven't had anything to eat for quite a while."

Wordlessly Fai withdrew a loaf of bed and broke off a piece, tossing it to Zarai who caught it neatly and took a ravenous bite out of it. Chewing, he said, "Good luck. You'll probably need it." He disappeared back into the darkness, heading towards the distant Fire Nation base.

Mylo let out a deep sigh. That guy was the worst. "Ok, let's go guys." She started jogging forward.

She stopped when she realized that only three pairs of boots could be heard behind her. She turned around to see that Satsudi hadn't moved.

"Satsudi, buddy, what's wrong?" she asked.

"He's right." Satsudi answered, his gaze on the ground. "This is a wild goose chase, and it's going to get us killed."

"No it's not." Mylo answered, surprised. "We are going to save Iroh."

"Iroh's not there." Satsudi said softly. "I don't know where he is, but it's not there. Look, we are in way over our heads. We aren't even soldiers yet. We can't do this."

"We can do this, Satsudi." Nile said to his friend. "Just believe in yourself a little."

Satsudi let out an exasperated sigh. "You don't get it! None of you do! Not even you, Nile. Maybe you can do it. Maybe. But I can't. I'm not like you guys. I'm not really a soldier, I'm just a kid pretending. I don't want to be here. I don't want to do this. I can't do this."

"You can, Satsudi." Nile said desperately. "We promised we would get through this together and be soldiers. We are going to do that."

"I'm not like you!" Satsudi said, a tear rolling out of the corner of his eye. "I can't do this stuff. You guys have been getting stronger, getting better, becoming soldiers. I haven't gotten anywhere. I don't belong here. The only reason I haven't quit already is because we made that stupid promise, but I'm done!" He paused then added softly, "I don't want to die." Without another word he followed Zarai into the darkness back towards the base.

"Satsudi, wait!" Nile yelled. He made to run for his friend, but Fai caught him and said, "Stop, Nile. Let him go. Nothing you can say will convince him to come back. At least this way he is safe."

Nile let the fight go out of him as his friend left him. Mylo wanted to give him some sort of comfort, but she already knew in her heart that there was little that she could say that would help. So instead she said huskily, "Let's go. Iroh needs us." The group followed silently, too stricken by what had just happened to say anything.

**I know this one wasn't all that exciting, but like I mentioned above, it's setup for next chapter where some shit is going to go down. Hopefully I will have that chapter up two days from now, if I don't fall any more off schedule than I already am. So see you soon, hope you guys are doing well, and thanks for reading! Bye!**


	26. Chapter 26-Rescue Iroh 5:Killing in the

**And now for part 2 of the "in the dark" duo. This one has all of the crazy batshit stuff, so prepare yourself. Enjoy!**

Chapter 26- Rescue Iroh Part 5: Killing in the Dark

Ozai let out a shuddered breath. He slumped down against the metal wall of the ship, relieved at his luck.

He couldn't believe that he had made it this long. For almost a week he had been hiding on this ship, completely unseen. He had stolen food and water when he needed it, and stayed out of the way as much as he could. He had been seen a couple of times, since it was virtually impossible to avoid everyone in an encased metal can, but he was tall for his age so he hoped he had only given off the impression of being a cabin boy. No one had mentioned his name or seemed to have recognized him, so he assumed it had worked.

The one person he was truly scared of seeing was General Sha. The man was cunning, and Ozai had no doubt that his face would be easily recognized by the general. But the scary reality is, to make sure he wasn't seen, Ozai had to know where Sha was at most times, and that meant that sometimes he had to follow the man rather closely. It was a huge risk, but Ozai was finding that he often couldn't resist it. He just loved the idea that the General had no idea he was there. If he could fool Sha, then maybe he could eavesdrop and spy on anyone, even his father. That was a wonderful and irresistible dream in Ozai's mind, never far away in his thoughts on the ship.

But following Sha truly was risky. Ozai had discovered that the man was unnaturally paranoid and perceptive, and he had nearly caught the young boy several times.

Like now.

Ozai could have sworn he had been seen this time. There was no way that Sha hadn't seen him. He had turned around on a dime and Ozai had barely had time to move out of sight around the corner. But he suspected that part of him had been seen. Hearing the heavy metal boots take one slow step at a time until they were mere inches away from where Ozai was hiding around the corner of the hallway had been truly frightening. He had been so certain that he had been caught, that his time was up. But Sha had turned back around and kept walking.

Ozai knew he probably should have let things be, but he needed to follow Sha right now. He had heard General Sha talking to the captain moments before that they were getting really close to land and that they would be dropping off Sha soon. Ozai already knew that the ship's sole mission was to deliver Sha to the Earth Kingdom so that he could hunt down Iroh's captors and bring the Prince home. That meant that there would only be one chance to get off, and that was in the brief moment when Sha was exiting the ship. It would last thirty seconds at most, and it would be a miracle if Ozai wasn't seen leaving with the General. So Ozai had to find a way to covertly slip by notice and get off the ship and onto land. And if that somehow worked, Ozai's plan was simply to follow the General from a distance and let the dangerous Fire Bender lead him to his brother.

So Ozai followed the General for the next hour as best he could. Sha visited his room and was inside for several minutes while Ozai waited farther down the hallway out of sight within an unlocked supply closet, with the door ajar so he could keep somewhat of a watch of his target. Sha left in full uniform, as befitting a General that was about to meet another high ranking officer. He also had a single bag with him. Probably clothes, but Ozai didn't really care that much.

Sha made his way to the front of the ship, where the gangplank would drop down onto the dock that Ozai had heard mentioned a couple of times. Ozai followed at a distance, trying not to seem like he was following when anyone passed by. At the exit, two Firebenders arrived to escort Sha down, but he waved them away, saying that there was no need. Ozai was fine with that. That was two less people who could catch him leaving.

After waiting for what felt like a long time but probably wasn't, the time finally came. There was a hiss of steam, then the metal opened up and slid gently forward, landing on the wooden dock below. Sha marched forward, and Ozai knew that now was the moment. He dashed forward as quietly as he could manage, and peered outside. There was a handful of people awaiting Sha below, looking up. Ozai realized that he needed some way of being unseen, or he would be caught.

Thinking quickly, Ozai tried the only thing he could think of that might distract them. It wasn't likely to work, but it was something. He pulled off one of his boots, took careful aim, and threw it into the water nearby the dock. As soon as he heard the splash, he ran forward and jumped off into the water. As he had hoped, all of the heads had turned to see what had caused the splash, giving Ozai the tiniest window of opportunity.

The luckiest thing that could have happened to Ozai then happened. As he landed in the water in between the dock and the ship, almost under the gangplank, his much larger splash was hidden by a louder noise. The ship's gangplank began to rise with a loud hiss, now that its mission was completed. No one had heard a thing of Ozai's escape.

Ozai's head broke the surface under the dock. He grabbed onto one of the sturdy logs that held the dock in place. he turned around to see the ship beginning to drift back out to sea, picking up speed. Ozai wanted to laugh out loud. He had actually done it! Maybe now he could start getting some respect from Father.

"Welcome to Turtleduck Bay, General Sha." Ozai heard someone say. "And more importantly, welcome to the Earth Kingdom."

"Good to be in this…." Sha paused, looking for the right word. "…place."

"I have already been informed of your mission here in the Earth Kingdom, and I fully support your actions and wish you a speedy success. My men are also very supportive of your mission, and several actually want to contribute directly. They have a score to settle with these assassins, you see."

"I am going to have to decline, General." Sha said. "They must learn to put their duty before their heart, and honestly they would be of no help to me or themselves. They would only get in my way and get themselves killed. Not your fault, of course, seeing as you just became their commander."

"Are you implying that we can't hold our own against those bastards?" Another rather angry voice said.

"You do have a dead commander, two missing soldiers, and no enemy losses to show for how well you can hold your own." Shad replied.

"Why you son of a bitch-" The angry soldier yelled before being cut off. Suddenly he screamed, and Ozai heard a body hit the wood hard.

Ozai's breathing was getting rapid, and his heart was pounding. What had just happened?

"Sha, please refrain from harming my soldiers." The first voice said gently.

"Exercise more discipline among them then, Kuzon." Sha replied. "I think it is time that I leave."

"It was a pleasure seeing you, General Sha." General Kuzon said to Sha. Ozai could hear hints of sarcasm in his voice.

"Surely as pleasurable as it was to see you, General Kuzon." He answered. Ozai heard footsteps, and then Sha was gone. Ozai kept an eye on the tree line to see which way Sha was going. He needed to follow the scary general to have any chance of finding Iroh.

"Okay, guys, let's get him up." Kuzon said. Two of his soldiers picked up their fallen comrade, who was still sobbing from whatever Sha had done to him. Ozai watched them leave a different direction.

Finally alone, Ozai let himself relax a little and swam to shore. He was glad that this was over. That was far more tense than he liked. But it was over now. Now it was time to turn his attention back to his mission.

Rescuing his brother.

Satsudi finally caught up to Zarai, in the dark forest. He had heard several noises in the surrounding shadows, and he would rather face them with someone else than alone, even if that someone was Zarai.

In part it was about how scared he was, but in part it was also because of the guilt. He had just abandoned his friends, and justified or not, it was wrong. Maybe if he could get on Zarai's good side he would have someone who didn't hate him.

How could they expect him to go along with their plan? Sure, it was fine for them to go on crazy adventures that would get them killed. They liked that sort of thing, and they were well suited to it. Nile, Iroh, Mylo…..They were brave, good fighters, and even greater people. They were the kind of people that would stick up for the weak and stand up to evil. The kind that would one day be heroes.

But Satsudi wasn't like that. He couldn't do that stuff, or think that way, or be brave. He didn't fit here at all, and had never fit in here. He wasn't a soldier, he was a wimp. He just wanted to read and maybe play some Pai Sho every now and then. He was done trying to be something that he wasn't.

But that didn't make abandoning them any less bad, and it didn't make the guilt hurt any less.

"Zarai, wait!" Satsudi said, out of breath as he tried to catch the other trainee.

Zarai paused, and turned around. He glanced around, as if surprised to see only him and expecting to be attacked. "Satsudi, what are you doing?"

"You were right. Going after those psychos is suicide. I'm going back to the base with you."

Zarai regarded him. "Really? Just you? No one else?"

Satsudi shook his head. "They seem pretty determined to go rescue Iroh."

Zarai nodded slowly at this. "I see."

The attack came out of nowhere.

Suddenly, Satsudi couldn't feel his throat. His hands jumped to his neck, trying in vain to figure out the problem. He couldn't breathe. His head was spinning, and he fell to his knees.

Zarai stood over him, smiling wickedly. He swung his leg in a vicious kick that connected with Satsudi's jaw. It sent Satsudi's entire body spinning, and Satsudi heard, and even scarier, _felt_ something crack in his neck. He lay on his side, tears streaming from his eyes and blood streaming from his mouth. It tasted really sharp.

What was happening? Why was it happening?

Using his foot, Zarai rolled Satsudi over so that he was laying on his back. Satsudi looked up above. There were stars everywhere, obscured by several layers of leaves, but poking out through the foliage all over the place above him. The dark shape of the leaves outlined in front of the bright, bright stars created a weird dance in the wind.

So beautiful…

At this point Satsudi was beginning to not feel the blows that Zarai dealt to his body. He knew already that it wasn't worth fighting back. Was this dying?

Zarai finally let up after a while, breathing deep from the adrenaline. He noticed Satsudi watching him. "What?"

"Why?" Satsudi managed to croak out quietly.

Zarai chuckled. "You wanna know why? Because you were just a weak little pawn that was never worth anything. Because Iroh and that little bitch picked a fight with the wrong fucking person. Because you got caught in a war that you should have stayed out of. Because I want to hurt them, and you can help with that. And because I want to watch you fucking die, and this was the easiest way of making sure I got to enjoy the full show." There was a glint in Zarai's eyes now, as if he were deep in the bliss of some sort of killing high.

"You know they were lying to you the entire time, right? Iroh and Mylo? Iroh is actually the fucking Prince. Bet he never told you, did he? Why trust you? You aren't worth shit and you know it. And that other bitch, she was a bitch the whole time. A girl! Sleeping in our barracks! Get your pecker going up a bit, right? But no, she never had eyes for you, so don't waste your time. She has a nose for the money. She knew who had the deepest pockets, and that was your buddy Iroh. But she doesn't have a nose for the victor, does she? She couldn't figure out that I would win in the end. You are just the first part, buddy. I am going to fuck up their entire lives. They didn't know who they were messing with, and now they are going to pay. Starting with you."

Zarai raised a boot. "Hope you find better friends wherever you go from here." He brought the boot down on Satsudi's face and then everything was blackness.

**Surprise reveal that will excite superfans? Check. Crazy plot twist that will leave some readers sobbing in shock? Check. New POV from an unconventional source? Check. Epic cliffhanger that will leave many jaws dropping to the floor? Check. Emotional drama from off and on romantic couple? Dammit, I knew I was forgetting something.**

**Soooooooooo yeah. That happened. As far as part one of this chapter, I have been planning Kuzon to come in for quite a while, and I have kept the new commander nameless so I can drop the name at just the right time, and this felt like it was it. Ozai's whole part flowed a lot better than I was expecting and I'm glad that it worked out well. As far as part two, I just wanted some things to start hitting the fan, and I think I did a good job of that. Be honest, who was expecting it? Anyone? Yeah, that's what I thought. **

**Hope you liked it, thanks for reading!**


	27. Chap 27- Rescue Iroh 6: King of Omashu

**Go and be free my children! Be free and read!**

"It seems we have arrived." Bumi said wistfully, gazing up at the mountainous city above. The party of Earthbenders stood outside Omashu, one of the greatest cities not only in the Earth kingdom but in the entire world. Before now, Iroh had always wondered how much of that claim could be true. After all, people made up legends all the time. Wan Shi Tong's Library, for example, was just a myth.

But Omashu was far from a myth.

Iroh couldn't believe the sheer scope of how high this mountain reached. How was it even possible to turn an entire mountain into a city like this? Supposedly it had been created long ago by incredibly powerful Earthbenders, but Iroh couldn't fathom the type of bending power it would take to create an entire city on the face of a mountain.

In many ways, even though he had been dreading it, Iroh was glad to be here. It meant that this trip was finally over and he would be turned over to other people.

When Zarai had left him, Iroh had felt despair. That had likely been his last chance, and he had been casually abandoned. Now what could he possibly do to make it out and back to his people? Zarai's escape would increase prisoner security and now he more than certain to be capably delivered into his enemies' hands. The only thing he could really be thankful for was that they still didn't know his identity. Or, at least, he hoped so.

To make matters worse, the group of Earthbenders had been extremely unhappy about Zarai's escape. Since they didn't have Zarai himself to take their pent up aggression on, that had only left Iroh. Near hourly, he had been subject to beatings and all manners of punishment designed to weaken, hurt, and humiliate him ever since. He wasn't even allowed to sleep for more than a few minutes before he was beaten again. Only Bumi refused to attack the prisoner, instead opting to keep his distance from Iroh.

Iroh had never hated anyone quite like this, not even Zarai. This was cruel, and evil, and he hated them for it. "I'm going to kill you all!" he had yelled angrily partway through the first day of the beatings. By the third day, he barely made any noise as he was kicked again and again.

And that was why Omashu was a place he was happy to be at. Maybe he was getting even farther away from escape, but at least this way he was escaping to something other than the hell he had been in.

The guards outside the great stone gateway peered at the group of Earthbenders and their prisoner. One had a somewhat fancier hat than his comrades, so Iroh assumed that he was the leader of the guards. He talked to the leader of the assassin group. "You have been out quite a while. Did you misfits even accomplish anything?"

"That's for the king's ears, not yours." The Earthbender replied.

The guard muttered something to his comrade that Iroh couldn't hear, then waved to the other guards. Within moments the great gates opened, allowing the group inside.

Iroh's head was on a swivel inside the city. Looking around at everything he could. The first things he noticed were the extravagant feats of architecture that the Earth Kingdom was renowned for. The buildings of the city looked rather normal, besides a lack of the red paint that Iroh was used to, but there was more to them if one knew what to look for. Iroh was thankful that his training included an architectural basic study (mostly for finding weaknesses in enemy walls) or he would have missed the genius of the city. Being on a mountain, one city street could be much lower or higher than its neighbor, and elevation was always one of the biggest enemies of any builder. But the buildings of Omashu were built such that they supported each other, each bit of earth making the entire city stronger. Iroh was greatly impressed. In addition, he also noticed the system of slides that used Earthbending and gravity to move everything from mail to shipments of food around the city. It was a truly efficient system of getting things around.

But Iroh also noticed some other things about Omashu. In the shadows, in the dark damp streets and back alleys, there were kids. Tons of kids. Most looked dirty, and homeless. Starving. And with them came obvious bullies, older kids or even some adults that lived off of controlling the lives and sometimes even deaths of street urchins. Iroh was unnerved by this. They didn't have anything like the kind of poverty he was seeing here back in the Fire Nation. Were they just richer? Better off? Had the war caused this? Or was it something more social? Was the emphasis of order in the Fire Nation making the kind of difference that this kind of urban savagery didn't occur on this level?

Had his father been right the whole time?

Iroh didn't want to accept that, but he had to admit that the Fire Lord kept a tidier home than this King seemed to in Omashu.

After many stairs, they finally reached the palace at the top of the city. Iroh was lead inside, and soon they stood before the King of Omashu.

The King was a large man with a thick beard and beady eyes, and very little hair. He regarded the group with contempt. It was obvious to Iroh that the King would have preferred that this group never return. Iroh wondered just what they had done to earn this man's hate. At this point he had no problem with him hating them as well.

"All bow before the great ruler of Omashu, King Ghul!" One frail looking scribe called out. Iroh took a knee along with the rest. Even as Prince of the most powerful nation on the planet, he still was well practiced to bowing to his father.

"What have you brought before me?" The king asked, sounding very bored.

"Sir," the leader of the Earthbender group, we bring news that we have disrupted the Fire Nation troops as ordered, and even killed a General of their forces. We returned to bring this prisoner back here to face judgement before Your Highness-"

"So you are telling me that you came back here with a single prisoner and news that you killed one man." King Ghul observed. "And I suppose you expect to be applauded for your efforts?"

"But sir-"

"No. Silence, now. Someone take this prisoner out of my sight, let someone else deal with him. You, I will be sending back out to actually get your job done. I want you to actually do some damage to the Fire Nation. In fact, I do not want your company of troops to return until that base has fallen. Am I clear? You will either win or die, I will not –" Iroh couldn't hear the rest of what was said as he was led away.

He was brought to two rooms, one of which had "Good Chamber" scribed above it, while the opposite room had "Bad Chamber" above it. Thankfully, Iroh was led to the Good Chamber and thrust inside. He didn't want to know what the Bad Chamber contained. The world outside disappeared as earth claimed the doorway, leaving only a single green lantern to light the small and nearly empty room.

Iroh pondered the King he had seen. Ghul seemed like the kind of man that drinks power like others drink water. He liked having people under his thumb and cared little for what he controlled as long as it was his absolutely. Iroh wouldn't doubt that he didn't care much about the war going on, and instead enjoyed ruling his subjects in his own little world. This explained a lot about the conditions of the people Iroh had seen outside. Ghul was in luxury inside his palace while his people starved and suffered. This was the opposite of the ruler Iroh wanted to be.

Suddenly the cell door opened again and Bumi entered. The old man grinned and said, "Hello, Prince Iroh."

Iroh gasped. So the old Earthbender did know!

"Calm down, please." Bumi said. "Yes, I know who you really are. But don't fret, I don't plan on telling anyone."

"What do you want?" Iroh asked warily. He wasn't sure what this man's motives were, or why he would keep quiet about Iroh's secret. "And I thought the King was making you and your group leave."

"Well as far as why I'm here, let's just say that the King doesn't have the same power over me that he does the others." A gleam appeared in his eye. "As for what I want, it's quite simple, actually. I want you to help me kill Ghul and make me King." He snort-laughed maniacally.

**I don't know how obvious it was, but I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter. I don't know what it was, but I was bored out of my mind getting through this one. Sorry, but I had to cut it short before I went crazy. I'm sorry if this isn't one of my best chapters. See you next time!**


	28. Chap 28- Rescue Iroh 7:Deals & Discovies

**Hey guys, welcome back! We are going to pick up right where we left off in the last chapter, with Iroh and Bumi. What is Bumi's plot? Find out here. Enjoy!**

"I want you to help me kill Ghul and make me King."

This was one of the last things Iroh expected to hear. "What?" he asked in surprise. "You want me to kill him?"

"No, I want you to help me kill him." Bumi corrected, smiling as if he had asked for something as innocent as helping garden instead of planning murder.

"Uh, thanks for the offer, I guess, but maybe you are asking the wrong person to help you." Iroh said. "I don't really have any power here."

Bumi scoffed at that. "You can't fool me, young Prince. You are smart, and resourceful, and your identity can give you power if you use it wisely. I am sure you will be plenty helpful when the time comes."

Iroh decided that he wouldn't get anywhere continuing that line of thought. "So why do you want to kill the king? And how would you take his place? Are you royal?"

"You've seen what the city is like. The people are starving. The police are cruel and evil men, on the king's payroll to maintain his iron fist. Thieves and murderers are common, and good men are leaving for dreams of a better city, not realizing that Ba Sing Se isn't much different. But it wasn't always like that here. Things were good under the previous king, Ghul's father. But his son was spoiled by his father, and Ghul became greedy and merciless as he grew older. That is one of the tougher things about being a parent, you see. You must find a middle ground. You can't give a child too much, or they turn out like Ghul, pampered and temperamental, so expectant and wanting. He doesn't know what it is like to earn something. But on the other hand, a parent can also-"

Iroh cut in. "They can also neglect their child and leave few, if any, connections."

Bumi nodded. "Exactly right. That can leave a wild card of a child. Many things could happen. They could become independent, able to care for themselves from an extremely early age. They can become resentful and untrusting. They can become weak, alone and desperate. And sometimes, but very rarely, they can accept it and become grateful that they are past it, understanding what their loneliness is and determined not to give that to their own child."

Iroh just nodded.

"But to get back to the subject, what was the other thing you asked me? Why would I be able to take his place? Well you see, Ghul happens to be my cousin."

"Interesting." Iroh commented. He had not guessed that Bumi was, like himself, of royal blood. Iroh felt a slight connection to him now.

"If I am able to kill him, then the throne is free and I am one of the prime candidates to take his place, along with a few relatives. But I don't consider most of them any threat, and the others shouldn't be too hard to draw in line."

"You really plan to do this, don't you?" Iroh asked. "Kill your cousin and become the ruler of this city."

Bumi sighed. "Yes, I do. I know that what I am planning is horrible. I will be killing my own cousin and potentially more. But you must understand, I have no wish to rule. I don't want to be bothered with all of those frivolous rules and duties. I am only doing this because I love this city. I was born here, I have lived here my entire life, and I need to protect it, whether the threat be from the outside or the inside. I'm not doing this not for the power to rule, but for the power to set things right."

"But is murder necessary?"

"Maybe. I'm hoping not, but I am ready to do what's necessary for the sake of Omashu."

Iroh pondered over this. "Do I have your word that if you become King that I am free to go?"

Bumi smiled his toothy grin. "Of course. I'm hoping this can be a long lasting friendship between us, actually. It's easier to work with your enemy when they happen to be your friends." Bumi held out a hand. "So do we have a deal?"

Iroh was both tempted and frightened by this. If he did this, he was putting his faith in this man, who had already proven to be quite crazy. Could he be trusted? And could his plan even succeed? There was no telling. But this was the only thing that had gone his way since he had been captured. It might be the only chance he got.

Hoping he wouldn't be regretting it, Iroh shook Bumi's hand.

"Good." The grizzled old man said. "Good."

Ozai had been following General Sha quietly, hoping that the more experienced tracker could lead him to where Iroh was so that Ozai could save him. So far it had gone well. He had kept a good ways back, moving from tree to tree to stay out of view in case the tall Firebender happened to turn around. It had been working for the past few hours, and he had only stepped on a few branches, so he felt that it was going very well.

"Father would have never expected me to make it this far." Ozai muttered smugly, slipping to another thick tree as he followed the figure in the distance.

As well as he had been doing, Ozai had to admit that this was pretty hard. It was dark, so he kept stepping on things and making noise. Thankfully, Sha didn't ever hear it. But the worst part was that Ozai wasn't the only thing making noise out here. Occasionally he'd hear a howl, or rustling, all sorts of things, and they had him scared to death. In fact, the only thing that didn't seem to make any noise was Sha. It was obvious how skilled he was at this, moving silently through the darkness with only his torch to protect him. But he never broke stride, never even paused to drink. He was a silent machine, gliding over the crinkly leaves like they weren't even there. Honestly, if Ozai wasn't within eyesight of that torch he was sure that he would be dead by now. Even the animals were scared of Sha.

Suddenly the General stopped. Ozai had taken a few steps before he realized, then froze. What was it? He dared not breathe in fear of giving away his presence.

"Ozai, come here." Sha called out. "You are going to want to see this."

Ozai was shocked. How had he known? Ozai had been quiet for the most part, and he had been super careful.

He sighed. It didn't really matter now how he had been caught, just that he had. It was such a shame that he had been found out. How would he save Iroh now? Sha would surely make him go back to the Fire Nation. Ozai meekly approached the powerful General, expecting a scolding.

"Look over there." Sha said without looking at Ozai, pointing. "Do you see it?"

"See what?" Ozai asked, squinting into the darkness above. It was near impossible to see anything at all. What did this have to do with disciplining him?

"Ahead of us. On the ground." Sha replied. "Go ahead and approach it if you need to."

Ozai hesitantly took a few steps forward. There were a bunch of dark shapes among the trees. It looked like rocks. Was this what he was supposed to see? What was so special about those?

Then he saw what Sha had wanted him to see. He gasped. "Th- There's a body!" He yelped.

Sha nodded. "Indeed it is. From what I can tell he was killed recently, and the boulders around him suggest that it was Earthbenders. But I have no idea why so many would be needed." He shrugged. "Just goes to show how dangerous it is out here. You should be careful out here, Ozai." With that said he started walking again, as though finding a body in the woods were just a vague surprise.

Ozai couldn't believe this. It was a kid, maybe just a few years older than himself. He was dead, with all sorts of bruises all over. Blood pooling out of his mouth. It made Ozai feel like he should vomit.

"Wait!" he said, hastily catching back up with Sha. "You aren't going to send me back?"

"You were not a part of my orders." Sha replied. "Just your brother. It makes no difference to me where the hell you are as long as you don't get in my way."

"So I can come with you?" Ozai asked hopefully. Maybe his mission to save Iroh was still on.

"Whatever you want to do." Sha said. Suddenly he stopped and turned to look at Ozai for the first time. He smiled, a strange look in his eye. "But I have to wonder how safe you really feel with me." He laughed, a chilling sound. "Not all of the beasts out here are animals."

Mylo knew she wasn't alone in the silent misery she had felt since Satsudi had left. Nile wasn't subtle in his anger, filling the void of noise with general insults towards Zarai and Satsudi, most of which were pointed towards his friend and based around cowardice. But every now and then he would run out of words and he would just look… lost. Afraid. Mylo knew exactly what he was feeling, because her friend's absence on their quest was hurting her as well. Even Fai seemed agitated, so unlike his usual aloof self. Only Jeong Jeong seemed unaffected by Satsudi abandoning them.

"I swear I'm going to kill him when we get back." Nile said harshly. "You with me, Mylo?"

"Yeah, I guess." Mylo answered, trying to ignore his words for the most part. She had her own feelings to sort through.

Why hadn't he said anything before? That might be what hurt the most. Not him leaving, but him never telling them how he felt. Why had he never trusted in them, never confided in them? They were his friends, yet he wanted to drown in his own misery. Who would choose that? Why would anyone ever choose that?

But then again, Mylo herself was keeping plenty of secrets, even from trusted friends. But still, she wished Satsudi had just said something. At least, before it was too late. But now he was gone.

Suddenly they heard a shout from Jeong Jeong up ahead. They all rushed to catch up, and found him at a clearing. No, not just a clearing. It was… a road.

"I think this is it." Jeong Jeong said. "The road to Omashu."

"You sure?" Nile asked. "It could easily be to any other city."

"What other city?" Jeong Jeong challenged. "There is nowhere else that this could lead."

"Chill, I'm just saying that you can't just assume that it's Omashu. I'm not saying you are wrong." Nile said.

"Either way, this has to be where they took Iroh." Mylo reasoned. "He is this way."

"So all we have to do is follow this road and we will find him." Nile said.

"And possibly hundreds of Earthbenders." Fai reminded them.

Nile rolled his eyes. "Great."

Mylo took a deep breath, then said, "We have our goal. We have our trail. Let's move out."

**This chapter, was if anything, just a moving-characters-where-they-need-to-be kind of chapter, so sorry if it was somewhat boring to anyone. I enjoyed writing it because of the little character moments, but that's just me. Uh, I can't really think of much else to say, so I guess I'll see you next time. Be sure to fave and follow if you liked it, and leave a review with your thoughts (that's an order, not a suggestion. Do it!). Lastly, thanks for reading and be sure to join the dark side (we have cookies!)**


	29. Chapter 29- Rescue Iroh 8: Breaking In

**September 4. That's when I last updated this. Today? January 11. Holy shit guys, I am so so sorry for taking this long. I was supposed to have this back a LOT sooner than this. All I really have is excuses, and yeah when you really get down to it that's all it is. Excuses. See, in October I didn't plan to have a new chapter out because I was doing a four part Undertale story (one a week) because Halloween and skeletons. Its spoopy. I had planned to have this chapter out in early November, but it was right about then that I got a job at Walmart (It sucks SOOOOO BAD) and my classes really picked up the pace on homework. So I essentially had practically no time to work on this for the last two months. Not to say my laziness had nothing to do with it, but that's why this has taken so long. Now, to say the least, I've fallen a bit behind on my personal writing schedule so you can expect that in an effort to catch up you might see this updated a couple of times in January to get back on my once a week schedule for myself. Assuming I can catch back up, I'm devoting all of February to just this story so you guys will have that to look forward to. In other news, I decided to start songwriting. Specifically, songs that are based off of TV, movies, video games, etc. for examples of what I'm trying to do, check out NateWantsToBattle, Mandopony or a few other Youtubers. I have no musical talent, so all I really have is lyrics, but so far most of those have turned out pretty well in my opinion. You can find them by clicking on my username to see my other stuff. If any of you can make actual music out of those, I would absolutely love to hear it. Like seriously, I would adore it so much. The other thing I would like to talk about, and another factor on why it took me so long to get this out, is that I have also been busy preparing to add another layer to my online works. To get to the point, I am starting a YouTube channel, with weekly videos starting in January. I already have a couple vlog videos up, but the main content (LPs and updates about my writing, for the most part) is yet to come. So if you are interested in watching, or maybe are just curious about what I look like, check out: ** channel/UCPwLY7DuCLRqUx1AVDh9dsw **. So yeah. That's what's been going on with me for this long absence. Again, sorry to disappear, I wish I could have been posting more but life had other plans. How have you guys been? Let me know, I'm happy to listen. Or, if you'd rather just read, then the story is below. Thanks for listening to all of that crap if you did, enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 29 – Breaking In

"So that's it." Mylo said, looking on. "The great Earth Kingdom city of Omashu."

The great mountain city lay ahead, just past the trees the group of Fire Nation trainees were hiding behind. There was a gigantic valley, among the surrounding mountains, with the tallest towering over the rest like a guardian of unconquerable stone. The city lay on top, with a winding path leading up to it. Save for that, the mountain was almost too steep to climb. Even from here, the slides that transported goods and mail across the city could be seen.

"It's pretty big." Nile observed. "Lots of Earthbenders guarding the place. How are we getting in?"

"We can't fight our way through." Jeong Jeong said. "There are simply far too many of them. And, after all, we are only kids. None of us have finished our training. It would be a slaughter if we tried to bully our way through the front door."

"So we need a side door." Mylo said. "A way around without fighting so many people. Something stealthy."

"But what?" Nile asked, scraping the ground with his shoe as he gazed out at the mountain fortress. "As far as I can tell, that's the only way inside. Down the narrow road up to the gate, or not at all."

"No, wait." Fai said. "I think I might have something." He was standing at the edge of the gorge, looking at the bottom of the mountain. The rest of the group peered around where he was looking, trying to find what Fai had noticed. None of them could figure out whatever it was.

"Don't you see it?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"What is it?" Jeong Jeong asked him.

"There's a gate down there. Unguarded. I think it might be for the sewers, but I'm not sure."

After a little bit more searching, Mylo finally found what Fai had seen. A small hole in the side of the mountain Omashu sat on, covered with a metal grate. A small stream of suspicious greenish brown liquid dripped lazily out of the bottom and continued deeper into the gorge. "Wow." She said to him. "I can't believe you spotted that."

"You must have eyes like a hawk, man." Nile said with a smile.

Fai simply shrugged.

"Can't hurt to check it out, I suppose." Jeong Jeong said.

Then let's go." Mylo said. "This could be our ticket inside."

Ozai peered from around the tree, trying to get a good view of the sight that lay before him. He had never seen anything quite so tall. "Wow." He said under his breath. "Omashu."

"Yes." General Sha said. "Omashu. The second largest city in the Earth Kingdom, and the most powerful military power for hundreds of miles. It has been the main proponent for the Earth Kingdom's resistance to the Fire Nation in this war, with their impressive production of weapons and supplies. Without this city, only Ba Sing Se would still be standing. But with Omashu, our war still has far to go until we have victory."

These words chilled Ozai. Obviously, with the power and importance that Sha had described, there were bound to be countless soldiers here. How could they possibly get through? How could they possibly find Iroh? How could they possibly complete this mission?

"Stay your fears." Sha said with a drawl, as though he knew what Ozai was thinking. "I have a plan. We will get in. we will find your brother."

"And then we'll get out?" Ozai asked.

Sha didn't answer the question. Instead he just began walking out from the cover towards the bridge that connected the mountain to the outside of the vast valley. "Come, young Prince. It is time to enter the city. Your brother, and the King of Omashu, await our arrival."

Uneasily, Ozai followed the Fire Nation General into the open and onto the path. Both sides had steep, dangerous slopes that lead to the bottom of the gorge. One wrong step and Ozai wouldn't be returning home. He followed carefully, wary of the steep drops.

It took several minutes, but the duo finally reached the gates to enter Omashu. There were several soldiers waiting outside, probably Earthbenders. Up so high that Ozai had to crane his neck to see, more patrolled the wall high above. The gate was as tall as the wall, and probably very thick. If there was some way to get in without being let in, Ozai couldn't see it.

All of a sudden the soldiers began buzzing around with increased intensity. Ozai could barely make out some of the words shouted ahead. "… Nation! Prepare…. You sure? Then begin…" He suspected that the enemy troops had realized who they were.

"Uh, should we have kept on our Fire Nation clothes?" he asked Sha.

Without looking at Ozai, Sha replied, "It is no problem, my Prince. This is exactly as I planned."

Ozai noticed several of the soldiers approaching, on guard against the two Fire Nation visitors. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"This will get us inside, I promise." Sha said drily.

The soldiers stopped a good distance away, ready to fight. Then one drew closer by himself. He called out, "State your names and purpose here!"

"I am General Sha of the Fire Nation, and I am here on a diplomatic mission between our two countries. I wish to see your King."

"Who is the boy?" The soldier asked.

"Merely a servant." Sha replied casually as though Ozai were the least important thing in the world, not worth asking about.

"Get down on your knees! Both of you! You will be placed in protective custody and escorted under armed guard. Do not resist and you will not be harmed!" Even as he shouted orders, the soldier sounded frightened. Ozai wondered if he knew General Sha's name, of his dark reputation.

"That is not acceptable." General Sha replied, fixing a glare on the lone Earth Kingdom soldier. "You will take me to your King immediately, or you will end up just another obstacle in my way. And obstacles never last long for me."

"Stand down, General!" The soldier shouted, taking a step back. "Last chance."

Sha let out a blast of flame, faster than the soldier could react. The soldier was knocked backwards, careening off of the edge of the walkway, tumbling down the ravine. Unless he was able to Earthbend, and able to save himself somehow with that, then Ozai knew that the soldier was certainly a dead man.

There was an uproar from the other soldiers as they attacked. Arrows, rocks, and even some spears were all fired in a storm of projectiles at the two Firebenders. Sha dodged them with a graceful ease, like he was a fly dodging swats of hands. It was almost too easy, unhuman even. Ozai dropped to his chest, wrapping his arms over his head, hoping to avoid the barrage of attacks unscathed. He heard noises, but couldn't see anything. Shouts, crashes, cries of pain. The unmistakable sound of flame being thrown by a master of Firebending. Then silence.

Ozai glanced up, seeing that large boulders were at each side of General Sha, enveloping his arms up to the elbows. He couldn't Firebend if his arm was trapped within stone. A few Earthbenders stood around their new captive, breathing heavy. A far greater number were scattered around the gates of Ba Sing Se, some rolling around in pain, some not moving at all. There had to be over two dozen of the guardians of the Earth Kingdom City of Omashu taken down at General Sha's hand. But in the end he had been caught, defeated.

Ozai's heart sank. They had failed. They had been caught along with Iroh. With a pang of horror, he realized that both sons in the line to become Fire Lord were now prisoners of the Earth Kingdom. The Fire Nation was in a very perilous position now, and Ozai realized that it was all his fault. "I'm sorry Iroh. I'm sorry, Father. I've failed you both."

A couple of soldiers approached and picked Ozai up to his feet, escorting him to where the bulk of the troops were at. "Take them to the King!" one soldier said to the others. "Let him decide what to do with them!"

"The boy too?" One man asked.

"Yes, the boy too. But keep your eyes close on both of them. I don't want any chance of them causing anything. In fact, secure that one's legs too, while you're at it. I want them to be completely unarmed here."

Sha was secured even further, and Ozai was clasped into cuffs. He was slightly relieved that his Firebending wasn't blocked like with General Sha, but it wasn't like he could pull off any miracles here anyway. he gates were opened up in an awesome show of Earthbending. Ozai couldn't help but be amazed as he saw the massive walls move aside to allow them inside. One man shoved Ozai forward. "Get a move on. You're going to see the King."

In a secluded alley, far from any people, a man hole popped up. Out of the hole popped up four teens and a foul stench. They quickly scrambled around, making sure it was safe. Upon finding themselves alone, they all let out relieved sighs.

"We made it." Mylo said to the other three. "We actually made it. We're inside Omashu."

"Yes we did." Fai replied softly. "Now lets go save Iroh."

**That's it for this chapter. Not very action packed, it was just more of getting back into the groove and getting everything into place. I'll go ahead and let you know, A LOT is going to happen in the next few chapters. Again, sorry about the absence. I wish I wasn't gone, especially for quite so long, but there isn't much I can do about it at this point. See you next time!**


	30. Chapter 30 - Rescue Iroh:Among The Enemy

**I know it seems like I say this every single chapter, I am aware, but I am sorry that this took as long as it did to get out. I hope my tardiness hasn't lost the support of you guys. Still with me? Ok, so here's the plan. I was going to put out chapters of this story (around 6 or so) over February, but that went all to hell as I got literally nothing done, so now I am way behind on my schedule and I need to catch up bad. So I am going to TRY to get these out fast. And I mean fast. As in, a chapter every other day kind of fast. Honestly, I doubt I will be able to pull that off. But dammit, I'm going to try! Hold me accountable, guys. If I don't hold my end, don't ever let me forget it. Kill me with guilt! I'm gonna try not to let you down!**

Chapter 30 – Among the Enemy

The four fire nation teens creeped around in the narrow, dirty alley, all wildly looking around for anyone that might see them. The coast was clear, but that didn't erase the tension that each of them felt, as though at any moment their entire crusade could go up in flames.

Mylo glanced down at her clothes, noticing the grime and filth that had accumulated from their trip in the sewer. Not to mention, the fact that their clothes were red and covered in Fire Nation insignias. Not good. "Guys." She said in a hushed voice to the others. "We need to dump these clothes fast, or we aren't going to make it far."

"Well what do you suggest we do?" Jeong Jeong remarked. "Break into someone's home? We aren't burglars. Or thieves."

"We've already broken into the city." Nile said. "What's a house more?"

Jeong Jeong shrugged. "Just whatever we are doing, let's do it quickly. We can't stay here."

"Come on." Fai said, causing the others to turn. He had already opened the back door of one of the houses without any of them noticing. They all stared at him for a moment, then rushed forward quietly to enter the house.

They crept inside, making sure to not make any noise. There was no telling if anyone was home. Silently nodding to one another, the group split up to explore different rooms, ready for anything. Mylo entered a room to her left, and saw a large pot sitting above a pile of ashes. This must be the kitchen. She looked around, seeing some vegetables on a counter, and an open window that looked out towards a large street bustling with people. Many walked past, but none seemed to look inside the window or notice Mylo.

"Mylo!" Came a whisper behind her. She turned to see Nile waving from the door she had entered from. "We found some clothes over here! Come on, let's get changed so we can go find Iroh."

She followed him into the next room, where the other two boys were already in various degrees of undressing. She tried her best not to look as they removed more clothes, and began putting on Earth Kingdom clothes.

"Aah!" Jeong Jeong said in disgust, tossing away a pair of tan pants. "These don't fit!"

"Hurry up, Mylo." Fai said, already almost ready. Mylo realized that she had to change clothes in front of these… boys. She couldn't think of any excuse to change in another room, so she just let out a sigh and began unbuttoning her pants, sliding them down and trying to get this out of the way quickly and without drawing attention. Hopefully no one bothered to take notice of her.

Luckily, she was able to change in record time, and none of her three companions really took notice of anything. Relieved, she glanced around at her green and brown clad group. She hoped that the change of clothes would help them blend in.

"So where are we going to be looking?" Nile asked, looking to Mylo.

"Uh…" Mylo said, thinking. She truly didn't know anything about where Iroh could be.

"Do they have dungeons? A prison?" Jeong Jeong asked, to no one in particular. "That would be the first place to look for a war prisoner."

"I have no idea." Mylo said. "He could be anywhere. Actually, the only place I know for sure that he could be at is-"

She was interrupted by the creak of a door. All four of them froze, then darted to find hiding spots. Mylo quickly found herself in the space in between a dresser and the wall. Hopefully whoever it was didn't look in here, and if they did, they didn't look closely. They couldn't afford to be found.

Mylo almost screamed when she realized that Nile hadn't moved to hide. Instead he stood in the middle of the room, slowly walking towards the noise of feet falling in the main room where the person had entered.

"Nile!" She whispered frantically. "Are you crazy? Hide!"

He ignored her, quietly and smoothly moving up to the wall by the entryway of the room, peering out to get a look of the person. He turned back to them, saying "I've got this." He knocked on the wall, making all three of the others wince. There was silence for a moment, then the owner of the home rushed over to the room to discover the source of the noise. Nile pressed himself against the wall, so that he was unable to be seen and would be right behind the person as soon as they entered the room.

A man, thin and with glasses, who couldn't have been older than twenty years old, walked into the room, worry and confusion on his face. "What in the world?" He muttered, looking around. As soon as he passed Nile, the teen rushed forward, grabbing the man from behind in a chokehold. The Earth Kingdom man struggled, but Nile hit him twice in the head with heavy landing blows from his elbow, dropping the man like a rock.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jeong Jeong asked, scrambling out of his hiding spot under a desk. "You could have gotten us caught! And there wasn't any reason to hurt him!"

"Yes, what were you thinking?" Mylo asked.

Fai checked on the man, making sure that he was okay. He gave a thumbs up.

"We were going to have to get around him somehow." Nile explained. "There was no way around that. I didn't think we would be able to sneak our way out, and a straight up fight could be problematic if he could Earthbend. This way, he was taken care of quickly and quietly, no mess, and most importantly, he didn't see us. Hopefully when he wakes up he just thinks it was a robbery."

"That was really risky, Nile." Jeong Jeong said. "You could have just as easily gotten us all caught."

Nile grimaced in annoyance. "It's no riskier than anything else we could have done there. Look around you! Everything we do is going to be risky! That comes with the territory of infiltration."

"Still." Mylo said, trying to break up any argument before it started. "we need to work cohesively if we are going to hope to make it out of here. One mistake and we're done. So, we are going to work together. Got it?" They all nodded back to her.

"So what now?" Jeong Jeong asked.

"The only place I can think to go is the palace. Maybe there is a military prison, but we have no idea where it is, and if anything, the palace would be a great place to find out."

"Everyone on the same page, then?" Jeong Jeong said, looking to the others. No one spoke up. "Alright. We have a plan."

A couple of minutes later, the door of the house creaked open, and the four teens slipped out. They tried their best not to draw attention, keeping their faces down. There were slight differences in the features of the people of different nations, and it would be best if no one got a good look at their faces, just in case.

From what Mylo could tell, no one made any notice of them walking out. They kept walking, close together, towards the peak of the city, where the palace of the King and the other rich nobles lived. Mylo felt herself ease up a bit as no one said anything to them as they passed. She allowed herself to look around, take in the sights of the city. After all, it wasn't every day you got to see deep inside the enemy city.

For the most part, it looked pretty normal. Besides the differences in colors and architecture, and other obvious differences, it wasn't that different from life in the Fire Nation. People just trying to live life, get by. Except, there was a small thing….

It wasn't easy to notice, but if she looked closely enough, she found that there were a lot of people wandering aimlessly, that looked dirty and lost. Were they homeless? There were a lot of them. Why wasn't the king doing anything about this? Mylo knew the Fire Lord, Iroh's father, wouldn't stand for something like this. He wasn't always kind, but he was certainly fair. He wouldn't stand for the rampant homelessness that seemed to be a part of society here. The history classes had been right, these people truly were savages.

It took several minutes, but eventually they reached the entrance to the palace. But much to their disappointment, it was guarded by well over a dozen dangerous-looking Earthbenders. The group of Fire Nation teens looked on from around a building, peering around the wall to scope out their goal.

"How are we supposed to get past them?" Mylo asked. "We can't just say we want to see the war prisoners."

"I don't know." Nile responded. "Say that we were sent to serenade the King? Then while they are distracted we sneak off or something."

Jeong Jeong laughed. "We are far too old for that. And they would rather have girls anyway, I'm sure."

"I wasn't serious." Nile said. "You knew that, right?"

"You were-" Jeong Jeong began to ask. "Uh, never mind."

"So what do we do?" Mylo asked.

"It might be a fool's errand to try to get in through there." Jeong Jeong said. "We can't get through here, at least not without drawing half the city on our backs. There could be some other way inside, or maybe we could try seeing where else in the city Iroh might be. But there's no way we are getting in through-"

He was cut off when Fai interrupted him, saying, "Guys! Look!"

Approaching down the middle of the road towards the palace was crowd of Earth Kingdom soldiers and benders, escorting two prisoners. They were both wearing Fire Nation clothes, one a fit older man and one a boy. The man had boulders encompassing his hands, keeping him from lifting his arms or, what Mylo assumed their designed purpose was for, bending. The boulders moved along beside him, guided by two Earthbenders, respectively. There were many men guarding the man, giving him plenty of respect, while the boy seemed ignored by all but a few guards.

"Here's our chance!" Fai said. "Merge with the others, and we'll get in fine."

"Are you crazy?" Mylo asked.

"No, he's right." Jeong Jeong said. "No one will take notice of us when all of their attention is on that guy, and it will lead us _straight _to where they keep the war prisoners. This is perfect for us, as long as we don't get caught."

Mylo let out a shuddering sigh. "Fine. Let's do this." The four of them casually made their way over to the crowd of soldiers, trying their best fit in. They made their way to the soldiers at the door, who talked with one of the prisoner guards. After a few moments, the doors opened with Earthbending, sliding outward heavily. The group traveled inside, the guards taking no notice of the teens infiltrating their midst. It was semi lit inside, with green crystals creating their own light. Mylo, intrigued, tried to find a flame or other light source, but the crystal yielded no secrets. This was a mystery that would remain unknown for now.

They entered into branching hallways, and followed one deeper into the palace. Eventually they reached a large and important looking door. This one also opened by Earthbending, revealing a massive auditorium inside. At the end of the large room was a throne, with a large man sitting in it. Many guards surrounded the room, with a smatter of aides and servants to the side. Among them was the last face Mylo expected to see. It was her friend, her lover, the prince of the Fire Nation.

Iroh.

**That's it! I'll be back soon, guys. Hopefully. We are nearing the climax of this Arc into Omashu, and I've got some tricks and surprises coming very soon. Can't wait for you guys to see! See you next time! Remember: JOIN THE MOTHAFUCKIN DARK SIDE FO FOTHAFUCKIN COOKIES!**

**Bye!**


	31. Chapter 31 - Rescue Iroh: Revolution

**I'm back! Who knows how long it will be until the next chapter! It's anyone's guess! But at least this one's here! Enjoy!**

Chapter 31- Revolution

Mylo gasped upon seeing Iroh, unable to stop her reaction in time. One of the soldiers looked her way, but didn't say anything. Fai slipped in besides Mylo and whispered softly enough that no one else could hear, "I see him too. But don't blow our cover quite yet. He has to have a reason that he would be siding with them. He never seemed like the guy to just betray us like that. Just hold tight. They don't know we are here, so we still hold the element of surprise. Don't throw that away for nothing."

It hurt. It hurt seeing him, in those Earth Kingdom robes, as though he was one of them. Not that she could talk, being dressed in green herself, but at least she knew she was a spy. Iroh, though… what had caused this? He had been taken in as a prisoner, yet now he was in bed with them. He couldn't have betrayed them, could he?

Mylo almost didn't want to know the answer. She felt a chilling doubt creep through her, a seeping fear. What if she had seriously misjudged him? What if he wasn't the same guy that she thought he had been? What if he was, underneath all of that kindness and witty charm she had known before, a coward? Someone willing to turn his back on his country, his people just to save his own skin?

Could Prince Iroh betray the Fire Nation?

Iroh only had eyes for General Sha. He didn't seem to notice the Fire Nation boy, or his four friends in disguise, but Mylo knew that he must have recognized them. There was no way, after spending months together training and bonding, that he didn't see them right off the bat. Yet he made no sign of recognition. Was he truly one of them now? What had they done to him?

Mylo forced herself to calm down and think. She needed to clear her head and go over what she knew, and the possibilities. She knew that he would have recognized them. But yet he had said nothing. That was a good sign. So that meant that either he didn't want to give them away, in which he had some sort of ploy going on in which he was tricking the Earth Kingdom somehow, or he had gone some sort of super brainwashing and didn't even recognize his old friends anymore. The second option seemed very unlikely, along with being farfetched, so Mylo reasoned that the most fitting scenario was the first option. Iroh was up to something, and Mylo didn't know what. So the best way to move forward for her and the others for now would be to wait and gather more information. Find out what was going on here, and don't give up themselves or Iroh.

So she walked with the rest without further interruption, casting her eyes out around the room, looking for details that she could work to her advantage. But beyond the fact that the Earth Kindom didn't know that they were here, there wasn't much to find.

"Sir!" One of the Earth Kindgom soldiers called out to his king with a bow. "We come bearing prisoners!"

"Fire Nation?" The King mused, eyeing his new prizes. "Where did you find them?"

"The gate, actually." The soldier replied. "They walked right up."

"Interesting." The King said. "Interesting. Why is that?" This question was to General Sha.

The Fire Nation officer said smoothly, "To kill you, of course."

There was a bustle of movement by all of the Earth Kingdom soldiers as they tensed up, battle ready. Sha didn't even flinch as dozens of weapons were brought to bear towards him.

"You made it easy for me. You brought me right to where I need to be." Sha said.

"You must be delusional!" The King said. "You can't even move your arms and you think you can take on all of my men, and then take on me?"

Mylo felt a hand softly grab at her elbow and pull her back. She didn't look to see who it was, but just trusted that it was one of her friends guiding her. They slipped behind the group of Earthbenders, moving along the wall of the room.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but I think chaos is going to erupt soon." Nile whispered. "Something about Sha's attitude worries me…"

"Be ready for anything." Mylo replied. "Absolutely anything."

Iroh didn't know what to expect when the doors opened, breaking the monotone of being a servant for King Ghul of Omashu. But what he certainly didn't expect was for a troop of soldiers to march in, with two prisoners in tow. To Iroh's horror, he recognized both. He forced himself to keep a straight face and seem disinterested as General Sha, one of his father's most respected officers, and Iroh's own little brother Ozai were brought into the King's throne room.

What were they doing here? Was this his father's attempt at some sort of rescue mission? Why was Ozai here? Whatever the story behind it, this was definitely not good. He just hoped that Bumi had some sort of plan.

As if summoned by Iroh's thoughts, Bumi whispered behind him, "What an interesting development. Do you know those people, Iroh? I know the younger one certainly looks familiar to me."

"Yes." Iroh gritted through his teeth. "That's exactly who you think it is."

"I'm willing to bet that my dear cousin doesn't know, however. He might even kill your brother to prove a point to that man over there, not realizing what he's throwing away. So remember, until your brother is safe, that your loyalties lie with me." Iroh didn't respond. Bumi's point had been made.

"Sir!" One of the Earth Kindgom soldiers called out to his king with a bow. "We come bearing prisoners!"

"Fire Nation?" The King mused, eyeing his new prizes. "Where did you find them?"

"The gate, actually." The soldier replied. "They walked right up."

"I think there are a few more wildcards here than we thought." Bumi said to Iroh.

Iroh followed his gaze and faced the latest surprise in this turn of events. In the back of the group of soldiers were four people that, if you looked closely, were a bit shorter than the rest. Iroh searched one of their faces and was shocked to see that it was none other than his best friend, his girlfriend, Nia, better known as Mylo. It took all of his power not to react, as he noticed that the other three were Nile, Fai, and most surprising of all, Jeong Jeong. He was so bewildered that he didn't even feel irritated that the same guy that had got him caught in the first place was here to rescue him. He settled for just feeling relieved that he had people he could count on.

"You must be delusional!" The King said. "You can't even move your arms and you think you can take on all of my men, and then take on me?"

"I think you might be surprised, King Ghul." Sha said to the leader of the city of Omashu. "I came here for a reason. It wasn't the orders I received to find the prince."

"Prince?" Ghul asked, confused.

Sha had a crazed look in his eyes that had not been there before. "I have honed my skills to become the greatest Firebender I can become. I will prove myself the best Firebender in the world soon. But first, I must defeat the greatest that the other nations have to offer. Are you the greatest Earthbender? Or should I search somewhere else?"

"You dare insult me in my own domain? Of course I am the greatest Earthbender! What else would you expect of the King of Omashu?"

Sha smirked. "Good."

Suddenly, his body twisted, his legs flying forward and launching a blast of fire so intense that Iroh wouldn't have thought it possible. Ghul, to his credit, was able to react fast enough to roll to the side. Every person in the room erupted into action, turning to confusion. Some attacked Sha, most ran, and Iroh couldn't tell what many of them did in reaction. But the one he did take note of was Bumi suddenly darting forward, and reaching out towards Sha. Suddenly, the rocks that contained Sha's limbs shattered, freeing the Firebending master, who didn't question his sudden luck and sprang into action by taking out his closest attackers.

"Kill him! Kill him now!" Ghul shouted out as he ran for the door, swarmed by guards.

"It's the time, Prince Iroh." Bumi said, watching his cousin escape. "Help me end his reign. The revolution starts now."

Mylo and the rest ran over, taking care to dodge flying rocks. "Iroh!" Mylo shouted. "We finally found you!" Not thanking, Iroh held his arms out for a hug, which Mylo beelined into. It was like a forgotten dream, holding her in his arms again like this. He didn't want it to end.

But then he remembered where he was. He let go, realizing that everyone else was looking at him. He looked at his friends, smiled, and said, "Anyone else want a hug?"

"Maybe once we're back in the Fire Nation." Nile replied. "Now doesn't seem like the time."

"Hello, Iroh's friends." Bumi said.

"Guys, this is Bumi. He's willing to help us escape."

"He is?" Mylo asked in surprise.

"If you help me end the King, then I would be more than happy to send you back home." Bumi said.

"Fine with me." Nile said with a shrug.

"Everyone on board, then?" Iroh asked. "Then let's do this."

**That's it for this time. Hope you guys liked it! I'm planning to have a few more chapters out really soon, but I think it goes without saying that it wouldn't surprise anyone if it takes longer than it should. So hopefully 32 will be here quickly, but if not, I'm sorry. **

**In other news, I'd like to say again that I have a youtube channel now, and it would mean a LOT to me if you check it out (and like and subscribe if you like it). Link below. Right now its pretty much all lets plays, but I plan to incorporate more stuff in time. Thanks for reading! See you next time!**

My channel link:  channel/UCPwLY7DuCLRqUx1AVDh9dsw


	32. Chapter 32- Rescue Iroh: Burn

**Welcome back! I'm hoping to have more chapters out soon, so look out!**

Chapter 32 - Burn

Ozai was taken aback by the suddenness with which General Sha attacked, launching a flaming kick with devasting power at the Earth King. Ghul rolled away from the attack as the legion of Earthbenders leapt into action. But somehow, Sha was free from the boulders holding his arms down, and was able to fend off the attacks with skill that Ozai had seen in only one other bender before: his father. It was an awesome display to see one man take on several and prove that they stood absolutely no chance.

Ozai felt a tug on his chained hands as his guard dragged him towards the wall, away from the action. Ozai was roughly shoved against the hard stone wall, and Ozai fell down from the collision. The guard snarled at him, "It's time to get rid of Fire Nation trash like you!" A chunk of floor rose up from the man's power, then moved above Ozai, casting a shadow on the frightened Fire Nation Prince. Falling, it would definitely break several bones, and possibly cause brain damage. But under an Earthbender's power, Ozai feared it could drive downward with the force to make him nothing more than a stain on the pristine floor. He tensed up.

Suddenly, there was an explosion as a burst of Firebending struck the rock, blasting bits of dirt everywhere. Through the dust and smoke, a body flew forward, crashing into the Earthbender guard. The assailant took the man down swiftly and handily, knocking the man out with a single blow. Then they grabbed Ozai by the hand, lifting him to his feet.

Ozai couldn't believe it. His savior was none other than the very person he had come looking for, his older brother, the Prince of the Fire Nation, Iroh. Ozai was so happy to have finally found him. Now they could go home.

He was initially confused to see that Iroh was wearing Earth Kingdom robes. He had never seen his brother without the customary red of their homeland, and the change was jarring. He might not have recognized his brother if he hadn't been focused on him, as Iroh had just saved his life.

"Ozai!" Iroh said to him. "You okay?"

"Yeah." He replied. "They never hurt me or anything. The most that they did was cuff me. What about you?"

Iroh ignored the question, instead saying, "We need to get those off. You won't be able to do much with those on."

Another Earth Nation clad person said, "Iroh, we need to go now! The Earth King is getting away." Ozai had the suspicion that this person wasn't actually Earth Nation. There were three others, all teenagers, Ozai noticed, all listening in. Were they all Fire Nation? And why were they going to bother with the Earth King? Wasn't their next move escape?

"Me and Mylo can go find the King." Iroh said to the others. "Someone needs to get him out of these chains, and its super important. He is the son of the Fire Lord!" All of the teens looked impressed by this. But why? Did they not know about Iroh? Ozai decided not to ask. It wasn't important right now.

"Hey!" someone shouted. "Those guys are Fire Nation! Imposters! Spies!"

The group tensed up. "We gotta go!" Iroh said to one of the other boys, presumably Mylo.

"We'll cover you!" Another said, launching a flame at the incoming Earth Kingdom attackers.

Iroh and his friend dodged flying attacks and made it to the door, slipping out of the antechamber.

One of the remaining disguised Fire Nation members lit a flame in his hand, motioning Ozai to come over. "Hold still. I'm not going to break these off completely, just separate them so that you can move freely. But we need to be quick, and I need you to hold still. Got it?" Ozai nodded. "Cover me, guys!"

After a tense minute of cowering against the wall, hoping that they wouldn't get hit by an errant stone, the metal of the chain melted away freeing Ozai. Without a word, Iroh's friend turned and joined his comrades against the Earthbenders. Ozai took a step to join them, but then stopped himself. He couldn't. he came here for Iroh, not for these guys. They weren't his priority. He had to make sure, above all else, that he and Iroh got back home. He couldn't do that here. He had to help his brother. Feeling guilty for abandoning these guys against the horde of Earth Kingdom soldiers, Ozai ran to the exit.

Jeong Jeong fired flame after flame at the enemies. He and Nile were both using pillars as cover, hiding from the rock projectiles as they tried their hardest to thin the crowd of enemies. It wasn't looking good. The Earthbenders had risen a crude wall out of the ground, using it as cover while they fired rocks at the Firebenders. Jeong Jeong was sure that they would have already been overrun by the enemy if they hadn't kept up a constant stream of flames that were pinning the soldiers down. But it couldn't last.

One brave Earthbender dashed forward, hoping that now was where they could press their numerical advantage. Jeong Jeong fired a flame at his feet. It didn't hit, but it did cause an explosion of smoke, giving Jeong Jeong a brief advantage over the temporarily blind Earthbender. He shot a powerful jet of fire that hit the enemy bender and launched him across the room. Jeong Jeong doubted that he would be back. Jeong Jeong took a moment to wonder how Nile was holding up, but didn't have the time to check.

Unfortunately, that man had inspired two more to charge at Jeong Jeong's pillar. He attacked them, but they managed to dodge and block his attacks. One used the pillar to swing around, with the intention of swinging his knees around to crash into Jeong Jeong's head. The other held slightly back, waiting to see the outcome of his friend's attack before rushing straight in.

Jeong Jeong had been training in combat since he was a kid, and was able to react accordingly. He dropped down to his stomach, causing his enemy's attack to miss. He got back up just as quickly, so that now he was directly behind the man. He was able to strike the man across the back of the head, knocking him unconscious.

The other soldier attacked immediately, not allowing Jeong Jeong a moment to rest. He found himself trading blows, both versed in martial arts. Strike, counterstrike, dodge, block. Jeong Jeong, despite being proficient in combat, found himself being driven back. He was exhausted, and this man was good. His block slipped against one of the man's attacks, and he found himself receiving a crushing blow to the ribs, knocking his breath away and his body off its feet. The man went for the finishing blow with no hesitation, bringing his heel down to smash the Fire Nation teen's face. But before it could connect, a jet of fire knocked the man away. Fai helped Jeong Jeong to his feet.

"Thank you." Jeong Jeong said. "I owe you my life, friend."

"Think nothing of it." Fai said, already laying down cover fire. "You would do the same for me."

Jeong Jeong joined him in firing flames at the enemy. It seemed that there were even more of them now, although he couldn't be certain. There was no way they could win this.

"Fai!" He said. "We can't keep this up! We gotta get out of here."

Fai nodded. "Cover me. I'm going to go get Nile." Without waiting, Fai dashed towards the other pillar, where Nile had been reduced to hiding while a rain of rocks were ripping into the pillar he was hiding behind. Jeong Jeong mustered up as much energy as he could and shot a powerful flame at the wall that the Earthbenders had made. It was powerful enough to light the nearby carpet aflame, and bright enough to disturb the Earthbenders' vision temporarily. Fai made it across to the other pillar, but he was immediately under fire. Or rather, rocks. The two were pinned down.

But Jeong Jeong wasn't able to help, because while he had been focused on helping Fai get to Nile, some Earthbenders had been charging from the other side. Three of them were on Jeong Jeong faster than he could react, and he was only able to barely roll out of the way as a rock crashed into where he had been before. He launched a fireball without looking, operating purely on instinct, fighting for his life. He got lucky, as he heard a yell and assumed that he had connected with one of them. He didn't have the time to look and make sure as he was already fighting the other two.

They both were launching rocks, and Jeong Jeong let his instincts control his actions. He managed to slip between them, not believing his own movements. He followed that with a strike at one of the soldiers, making the man crumple. But then the third man dropped his foot hard, bending up a strike of Earth below Jeong Jeong. His luck ran out, and this attack hit him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. The man wasn't wasting time, sending a fairly small but fast rock rocketing at Jeong Jeong's head.

Part of him felt that this was it. He was exhausted, empty, and honestly didn't think he could take any more. Was this war? Was this what he had spent his whole life training for? It didn't feel worth it. He wanted out. He didn't want to fight anymore.

But another part of him didn't want that. It was angry. It didn't want to die. It hated this other part of him with a passion, because it was giving up and it refused to do that. It was his blood, his heart, his fire, his very breath. It didn't want to end. It refused. It wanted to scratch and claw for every single moment, every single day. It wanted to live.

And it took control.

Jeong Jeong felt his body spring into action, but it didn't feel like he was doing it. He roared as his legs spun into the air, spinning around and creating a vortex of flame. The incoming rock was incinerated, and the man fell down before the pure power of the flame. Jeong Jeong felt disconnected, simply watching as he landed neatly onto his feet and launched a powerful flaming attack at the man. Horrified, unable to look away, he burned straight through the man, melting his skin away and seeing muscles and blood, before watching that burn away as well. He saw bone. Then he stopped, collapsing to his knees.

What had he done? That man, he was… dead. Dead. Dead. He was dead. And it was his fault. He had murdered him. No, more than that, he had _melted_ him. The man was unrecognizable. What kind of monster did that?

Jeong Jeong. That's what kind.

He looked at his hands, the perpetrators in what had just happened. Was this what fire was capable of? How could he do this? How could he consider his bending a gift, when it caused things like this?

A hand gripped his shoulder, and he flipped around, terrified, already attacking. He had a moment where he was frozen in time, Nile in front of him, surprised. Then everything erupted into flame, and he heard a scream.

**What happened to Jeong Jeong and Nile? Find out next time! Or maybe the chapter after next time! Maybe. You know what? Soon! I'll just leave it at soon!**

**But seriously, thank you so much for reading. 32 chapters in! We are 32 chapters in! take a moment to appreciate that. If you have made it this far, I want to thank you so much for sticking around this long. It really does mean a lot to me, and you guys really make writing this worth it, and so much fun. So thanks!**


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